In 1716, the English astronomer Edmond Halley made the following observation about the M13 globular star cluster in the constellation Hercules: “It is very small, it looks just like a speck, but if the sky is clear and there is no moon, it can be seen with the naked eye.” This globular star cluster is hidden in the constellation Hercules, one of the brightest clusters in the northern sky. These images of M13's myriad stars reveal the cluster in all its clustered ubiquity. The cluster shines like a sea of stars, covering an area of 25,000 light-years of relief for 150 light-years. A more detailed analysis of the cluster's center reveals that more than 100 stars fit into a volume where only 3 light years of competition take place - a number that is quite astonishing when compared to the closest star to our Sun, which is only 4 light years away. The image also shows distant galaxies such as NGC 6207 in the upper left corner and the faint dust clouds of the Milky Way in the foreground, with their shifting reflected light. Whispers of distant galaxies and shadows of stardust blend together as the eye forms in this cosmic fabric.

September 26, 2024 Astronomy Photo of the Day (NASA APOD)

Image Source & Copyright:

Jan Beckmann, Julian Zoller, Lukas Eisert, Wolfgang Hummel

Doesn't it look like a human-made painting?