Omega Centauri is a monster globular star cluster
Omega Centauri, the biggest globular star cluster of the Milky Way, accommodates about 10 million stars. This behemoth, with a diameter of about 150 light-years, is 10 occasions extra large than a typical globular cluster. Nevertheless, regardless of all these stars, scientists launched a research in 2018 that mentioned Omega Centauri most likely is not home to life.
Stars pack so tightly inside Omega Centauri that the common distance between stars within the cluster’s core is 0.1 light-years. That’s a lot nearer than the sun’s nearest neighbor, Proxima Centauri, at 4.25 light-years. So scientists concluded that stars in Omega Centauri would gravitationally work together with one another too often to harbor steady liveable planets.
Though it’s not solely Omega Centauri’s largest dimension that units it aside from different globular clusters. Most globular star cluster usually have stars of comparable age and composition. Nevertheless, research of Omega Centauri reveal that it has completely different stellar populations that shaped at various intervals of time. In reality, it might be that Omega Centauri is one thing aside from a globular cluster. It is likely to be a remnant core of a small galaxy that was absorbed by the Milky Way galaxy within the distant previous!
The distinction between an open and a globular star cluster
The symmetrical, spherical look of Omega Centauri distinguishes it from star clusters such because the Pleiades and Hyades, that are open star clusters.
An open star cluster is a free gathering of dozens to lots of of younger stars inside the disk of the Milky Way galaxy. Open clusters are weakly held collectively by gravity, and have a tendency to disperse after a number of lots of of hundreds of thousands of years.
Globular clusters, however, orbit the Milky Way outdoors the galactic disk. They harbor tens of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of stars. Tightly sure by gravity, globular clusters stay intact after 12 billion years.
Learn how to see Omega Centauri.
Omega Centauri – essentially the most luminous of all globular star clusters – is much to the south on the sky’s dome. It’s seen from the southern half of the US, or south of 40 degrees north latitude (the latitude of Denver, Colorado). Canadians hasten to remind us that they will spot Omega Centauri from as far north as Point Pelee in Canada (42 levels latitude). When seeing situations are good, they “… can catch the Omega Centauri star cluster skimming alongside the floor of Lake Erie,” they are saying.
From the Southern Hemisphere, Omega Centauri seems a lot greater within the sky and is an excellent sight.
Discovering Omega Centauri from the Northern Hemisphere
Should you’re within the Northern Hemisphere and need to spot this cluster, know that Omega Centauri can solely be seen at sure occasions of the 12 months. It’s finest seen within the night sky from the Northern Hemisphere late on April, Might and June evenings.
So round mid-Might, this wondrous star cluster is highest up and due south round 11 p.m. native DST.
Then, by mid-June, Omega Centauri is highest up and due south round 10 p.m. native DST.
Northern Hemisphere residents can see Omega Centauri from January via April as properly, however they have to be prepared to remain up previous midnight or stand up earlier than daybreak.
Use the Massive Dipper to search out Spica
For these within the Northern Hemisphere, Spica, the brightest star within the constellation Virgo, serves as your guide star to Omega Centauri. When Spica and Omega Centauri transit – seem due south and attain the very best level within the sky – they achieve this in unison. Nevertheless, Omega Centauri transits about 35 degrees south of (or beneath) glowing blue-white Spica. For reference, your fist at arm’s size approximates 10 levels of sky. Discover Spica by following the arc within the deal with of the Massive Dipper.
Use the search function in Stellarium-Web.org to locate sky objects as viewed from your location
It’s seen to the unaided eye
Typically, open clusters seen to the unaided eye are lots of to some thousand light-years away. In distinction, globular clusters are usually tens of hundreds of light-years distant.
At about 16,000 light-years, Omega Centauri is without doubt one of the few of our galaxy’s 200 or so globular clusters that’s seen to the unaided eye. It shines at +3.9 magnitude. It seems like a faint, fuzzy star, however Omega Centauri’s mere presence testifies to its dimension and brilliance. Like all globular cluster, Omega Centauri is finest considered with a telescope.
Omega Centauri’s place is at Proper Ascension: 13h 26.8m; Declination: 47 levels 29′ south.
Backside line: The Milky Way’s largest globular star cluster, Omega Centauri, accommodates about 10 million stars. And it’s seen from elements of the Northern Hemisphere.
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