Hubble captures dense globular cluster NGC 1841

This densely populated group of stars is the globular cluster NGC 1841, which is a part of the Giant Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way galaxy that lies about 162,000 light-years away. Satellite tv for pc galaxies are sure by gravity in orbits round a extra large host galaxy.

We usually consider the Andromeda Galaxy as our galaxy’s nearest galactic companion, however it’s extra correct to say that Andromeda is the closest galaxy that’s not in orbit across the Milky Way galaxy. In actual fact, dozens of satellite galaxies orbit our galaxy and they’re far nearer than Andromeda.

The biggest and brightest of those is the LMC, which is definitely seen to the unaided eye from the southern hemisphere below darkish sky situations away from mild air pollution.

The LMC is residence to many globular clusters. These celestial our bodies fall someplace between open clusters—that are a lot much less dense and tightly sure—and small, compact galaxies. More and more refined observations reveal the stellar populations and traits of globular clusters are various and complicated, and we’ve but to completely perceive how these tightly packed teams of stars type.

Nevertheless, there are particular consistencies throughout all globular clusters: they’re very steady and maintain their form for a very long time, which implies they’re usually very outdated and include giant numbers of very outdated stars. Globular clusters are akin to celestial “fossils.” Simply as fossils present perception into the early improvement of life on Earth, globular clusters reminiscent of NGC 1841 can present insights into very early star formation in galaxies.