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Constellation: Hercules
Distance: 25,100 Light Years
Globular clusters are ancient structures with a minimum age of 11 billion years, probably formed at the same time as their parent galaxy. The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules is arguably the finest globular cluster visible from the northern hemisphere, and can be glimpsed with the unaided eye from a dark sky site. It contains about 500,000 stars in a span of only 150 light years. (Information from A Year in the Life of the Universe by Robert Gendler, and The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets by Ruben Kier).
The small galaxy at the northeast edge of the cluster (upper right in this image) is IC 4617.
Acquisition Data:
6/3/2019, North Branch NY
Camera: ZWO ASI071 Pro, 17 X 9 minutes
Telescope: AstroTech RC-8 (FL 1625 mm)
Mount: Paramount MX
Acquisition: TheSkyX; Guiding: PHD Guiding
Processing: PixInsight
An effort from 7/12/2010:
Acquisition Data:
7/12/2010, North Branch NY
Canon 500D (t1i), modified, ISO 800
17 X 8 minutes
AstroTech RC-8
Guided with Starlight Express Lodestar and PHD guiding
Processed with IP and PSCS2
This image was significantly degraded by electronic noise due to leaving the camera's LiveView on during acquisition.
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