Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2019 August 24

                     Millions of Stars in Omega Centauri
           Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Miller, Jimmy Walker

   Explanation: Globular star cluster Omega Centauri, also known as NGC
   5139, is some 15,000 light-years away. The cluster is packed with about
   10 million stars much older than the Sun within a volume about 150
   light-years in diameter. It's the largest and brightest of 200 or so
   known globular clusters that roam the halo of our Milky Way galaxy.
   Though most star clusters consist of stars with the same age and
   composition, the enigmatic Omega Cen exhibits the presence of different
   stellar populations with a spread of ages and chemical abundances. In
   fact, Omega Cen may be the remnant core of a small galaxy merging with
   the Milky Way.

                      Tomorrow's picture: Leaving Earth
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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