The Center of Globular Cluster Omega Centauri
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Posted on 09/14/2009 4:34:35 AM PDT by sig226
Explanation: What is left over after stars collide? To help answer this question, astronomers have been studying the center of the most massive ball of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. In the center of globular cluster Omega Centauri, stars are packed in 10,000 times more densely than near our Sun. Pictured above, the newly upgraded Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the very center of Omega Centauri into individual stars. Visible are many faint yellow-white stars that are smaller than our Sun, several yellow-orange stars that are Red Giants, and an occasional blue star. When two stars collide they likely either combine to form one more massive star, or they stick, forming a new binary star system. Close binary stars interact, sometimes emitting ultraviolet or X-ray light when gas falls from one star onto the surface of a compact companion such as a white dwarf or neutron star. Two such binaries have now been located in Omega Centauri's center. The star cluster lies about 15,000 light-years away and is visible toward the constellation of Centaurus.
Thank you for my new desktop background. That’s amazing. Who’s making Hubble jokes now?
“Oh My God, It’s Full of Stars!”
Last I read, the astro community have decided that Omega Centari is a dwarf galaxy, not, a Globular Cluster.
Are they right? I don’t know enough to say. But, it’s a big pretty sucker.
10,000 times denser. That’s gotta make for an interesting sky for anyone living there.
It’s... full of stars...
darn you.
It has been speculated that Omega Centauri may be the core of a dwarf galaxy several hundred times its present size, which was ripped apart and absorbed by our Milky Way galaxy. Omega Centauri's chemistry and motion in the galaxy is also consistent with this picture.
The usual view of Omega Centauri.
Guy in our club has some 20x80 binoculars. O Cent looks just like that picture in them.
Cool shot indeed.
Worlds without end. Background for sure.
WOW, what a great picture. No one does it better than God. Thanks for the ping.
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