NGC 231

NGC 231 is an open cluster located in the constellation Tucana. It is situated within the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a dwarf galaxy that is a satellite of the Milky Way.

NGC 231 is a relatively young open cluster, with estimated ages ranging from approximately 10 to 50 million years. It is composed of a diverse population of stars, including hot, luminous blue stars that are indicative of its recent star formation activity.

The cluster appears as a dense concentration of stars against the backdrop of the SMC. Its study provides valuable insights into the star formation processes and stellar evolution in a low-metallicity environment, as the SMC has a lower abundance of heavy elements compared to the Milky Way. Observing and analyzing the stellar content of NGC 231 allows astronomers to better understand how star formation proceeds under different conditions.