Globular cluster NGC 1851. Globular clusters are spherical groups of very old stars that are tightly bound by gravity and orbit a dense central core.

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Globular cluster NGC 1851. Globular clusters are spherical groups of very old stars that are tightly bound by gravity and orbit a dense central core. They can contain over a million stars within a volume only a few hundred light years across. They formed billions of years ago, and are distributed in halos around many galaxies, including the Milky Way. NGC 1851 has a mass of 551,000 solar masses. It is around 39,500 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Columba. This image was obtained on 17 November 2015.

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Size: 3283px × 2689px
Photo credit: © DAMIAN PEACH/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 016, 1851, 2015, 305-sc, 73, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, bound, caldwell, cluster, columba, dense, eso, galactic, globular, gravitationally, halo, ngc, optical, space, stars, universe, visible