NGC 6383 is an
open cluster of stars in the
constellation of
Scorpius. It was discovered by English astronomer
John Herschel in 1847. In the New General Catalogue it was also identified as NGC 6374, most likely due to a clerical error.[5] This is a large cluster of scattered stars that spans an
angular diameter of 20
′. The brightest component is the
O-typebinary star system designated
HD 159176 (HR 4962). Against the glare of this sixth
magnitude star, a handful of fainter members are visible with a pair of large binoculars.[3]
The cluster NGC 6383 is located at a distance of approximately 3,540
light-years (1,086
pc) from the
Sun.[2] It forms part of the
Milky Way galaxy's
Carina–Sagittarius Arm in a
star forming region identified as Sh 2-012,[6] and lies in front of a dust absorption cloud. The cluster is likely part of the Sagittarius OB1 association, as are the clusters
NGC 6530 and
NGC 6531. This cluster, and in particular the ionizing radiation from the star HD 159176, form the
H II region RCW 132, which span a crescent-shaped volume that has an angular size of 110′ × 80′.[5]
This is a young cluster with age estimates ranging from 4 to 20 million years, and has not yet achieved dynamic
relaxation. It has 254 members identified, with 53 forming
young stellar objects,[6] and 21 being hot, massive
OB stars. 76 secondary
X-ray sources have been detected, with most of them concentrated near the core.[5] Newly-formed stars range in age from 1–6 million years old, indicating recent
star formation activity. The cluster has a compact
core radius of 1.94′±0.19′ and a
tidal radius of 40.7′±14.4′.[6]
^
abcRauw, G.; De Becker, M. (December 2008), Reipurth, Bo (ed.), "The Multiwavelength Picture of Star Formation in the Very Young Open Cluster NGC 6383", Handbook of Star Forming Regions, volume II, The Southern Sky ASP Monograph Publications, vol. 5, p. 497,
arXiv:0808.3887,
Bibcode:
2008hsf2.book..497R.
^
abcPulgar-Escobar, L. M.; et al. (May 2024), "Characterizing NGC 6383: A study of pre-main sequence stars, mass segregation, and age using Gaia DR3 and 2MASS",
arXiv:2405.09145 [
astro-ph.SR
Aidelman, Y.; et al. (February 2018), "Open clusters. III. Fundamental parameters of B stars in NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530 B-type stars with circumstellar envelopes", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 610, id. A30,
arXiv:1711.01311,
Bibcode:
2018A&A...610A..30A,
doi:
10.1051/0004-6361/201730995.
Qian, S. -B.; et al. (November 2006), "Orbital period investigations of two short-period early-type overcontact binaries BH Cen and V701 Sco in two extremely young galactic clusters IC 2944 and NGC 6383", New Astronomy, 12 (2): 117–123,
Bibcode:
2006NewA...12..117Q,
doi:
10.1016/j.newast.2006.07.003.
van den Ancker, M. E.; et al. (October 2000), "The central part of the young open cluster NGC 6383", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 362: 580–584,
arXiv:astro-ph/0006283,
Bibcode:
2000A&A...362..580V.