Open Cluster Remnants (OCRs) are poorly populated groups of stars in an advancedstage of the evolution of open clusters. These systems are specially rich inlate-type stars and binary systems of stars, of which a fraction is predicted bynumerical simulations and evolutionary models to be RS CVn, cataclysmicvariables and low-mass X-ray binaries. X-ray observations play an important rolefor the identification of those kinds of interacting binaries, which is crucialto validate the current models describing the final stages of star clusters. Wepropose to investigate for the first time the X-ray content of an OCR, NGC 1901,looking for signatures of accreting/interacting binary systems and active starsin order to put constraints on the evolutionary models.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2009-05-16T09:04:00Z/2009-05-16T14:52:33Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Raimundo Lopes de Oliveira, 2010, 'On the stellar X-ray content of the Open Cluster Remnant NGC 1901', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-yntui9t
