NGC 5139, commonly known as Omega Centauri, is the largest and brightest globular cluster in the Milky Way. Located in the constellation Centaurus, Omega Centauri is about 15,800 light-years away from Earth and contains several million stars, making it one of the most massive and dense globular clusters known. This cluster spans over 150 light-years in diameter, and its stars range in age from 10 to 12 billion years, offering a glimpse into the early history of our galaxy.

Omega Centauri stands out not only for its sheer size but also for its complex stellar population. Unlike most globular clusters, which typically host stars of a similar age and composition, Omega Centauri contains multiple generations of stars. This suggests that it may have once been the core of a dwarf galaxy that was absorbed by the Milky Way. The cluster's dense core, where stars are packed closely together, contrasts with its more sparsely populated outer regions, creating a stunning visual display in astro images.

Today we see a shot of the spherical constellation Omega Centauri, NGC 5139, which can be found at the same time on www.astronomie.de with professional explanations by Peter Riepe as the astrophoto of the week. Of course, there is a comparison on Saturday, because a new picture of Fuerteventura from early June was successful in good conditions.

Setup: Planewave CDK 24, 60 cm, f 6,5

Camera FLI PL 9000 with Filterrad

Mathis Mount with Absolut Encoders

Exposure 8h 30 min.

LRGB with Fitswork, PixInsight und PS

Copyright: Hans Dorfeldt