M35 is another beautiful cluster located in the winter sky. It is a large, scattered cluster
containing about 200 stars which form loop and chain patterns when viewed through a telescope.
M35 is a fairly young star cluster, about 100 million years old. It is located about 2800 light-years
away. To the lower right of M35 in this photo is a smaller, fainter cluster, NGC2158. This cluster
is almost the same physical size and brightness as M35, but appears five times smaller and 25 times
fainter due to the fact that it is 16,000 light-years away. The cluster also appears to be composed
of red and yellow stars in this picture, whereas M35 is much bluer. This is because NGC2158 is
three billion years old and most of its hottest, bluest stars have evolved into red giant stars.