Astronomy Digital Picture – 16 seconds, ISO 400, 63mm f/3.7, on 12/29/2006 05:57AM
08 Jan 2007
A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers.
Above picture shows the biggest of all globular clusters in our Milky Way galaxy, Omega Centauri. It’s also the most luminous Milky Way globular, and the brightest globular cluster in the sky. Located about 15000 light years away from us, 10 million stars orbit the center of omega globular cluster
Its visible to naked eye the constellation of Centaurus. The stars in its center are so crowded that they are believed to be only 0.1 light years away from each other. It is estimated to be about 12 billion years old !!! which puts the limit on the age of the galaxy.
Tomorrow’s picture – Star light Vs City Light
Posted by naveenln 
Astronomy Digital Picture of the Day 