Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Centaurus (Cen)  ·  Contains:  NGC 5139  ·  NGC 5206  ·  Omega Centauri
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NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB, Ian Parr
NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB
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NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB, Ian Parr
NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB
Powered byPixInsight

NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB

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Description

Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Centaurus that was first identified as a non-stellar object by Edmond Halley in 1677. 
Located at a distance of 17,090 light-years it is the largest-known globular cluster in the Milky Way at a diameter of roughly 150 light-years.
It is estimated to contain approximately 10 million stars, and a total mass equivalent to 4 million solar masses, making it the most massive-known globular cluster in the Milky Way.

Omega Centauri is very different from most other galactic globular clusters to the extent that it is thought to have originated as the core remnant of a disrupted dwarf galaxy and contains two distinct types of star color as evident in this image supporting the disruptive merger in the past.  Judicious Color Mode stretching in GHS really help to bring those star colours out.

Apart from the rather obvious NGC 5206 (bottom) and NGC 5156 at about 4 o'clock mid right the field also contains another 85 PGC Galaxies. I guess Centaurus wouldn't be Centaurus without the  plague of background galaxies :-)

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NGC 5189 Omega Centauri Globular Cluster in RGB, Ian Parr

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Globular Clusters