Measuring Time in the Stars: A New Way to Age the Ancient Cluster NGC 188

Yakut et al. introduce a new method for dating star clusters by jointly fitting spectral energy distributions and radial velocity data from six binary systems in NGC 188. Using Gaia astrometry, TESS photometry, and stellar evolution models, they determine a precise age of 6.41 ± 0.33 Gyr and a distance of ~1,850 pc. The method works even without eclipsing binaries and offers a robust framework for refining cluster ages.