Pacman Nebula

The Pacman Nebula (NGC 281) is about 9200 light-years from Willingboro. It has a radius of about 48 light-years.

It contains IC 1590 which is an open cluster . 279 stars with magnitudes less than or equal to 17 are visible within or near the cluster. The cluster is estimated to be 3.5 million years old, making it relatively young compared to other star systems. Inside the cluster is a multiple-star system that emits light which helps give the dust in NGC 281 its glow.

The nebula’s gas and dust are being used as raw ingredients to make new stars. However, the stars in IC 1590 will eventually escape from the Pacman Nebula, as open clusters are only loosely bound together and this grouping will eventually disperse within a few tens of millions of years. And this is a good thing, because by then, people will have no idea what a “Pacman” is.