globular clusters – Astronomy Now

Resolving Messier 3’s swarming stars

7 May 2024 Mark Armstrong

Messier 3 in Canes Venatici is right up near the top of the premier league of globular clusters. It has huge appeal for visual observers and imagers alike, making it a great alternative in the late spring sky to the ubiquitous Messier 13.

Hubble images a glittering, star-studded globular cluster

6 August 2023 Astronomy Now

A star-studded image of a globular cluster near the core of the Milky Way serves as a reminder that the Hubble Space Telescope continues to wow astronomers with its powerful, crystal-clear vision.

Searching for hidden black holes in the hearts of densely-packed globular clusters

23 May 2023 Astronomy Now

Some tightly-packed globular clusters show signs of unseen black holes affecting the movements of their stars. Astronomers are using the Hubble Space Telescope to look for evidence of such hidden monsters.

Globular cluster mystery may be explained by short-lived ultra-massive suns

13 May 2023 Astronomy Now

Webb telescope observations indicate super-massive stars in an infant galaxy that may explain the elemental abundances in globular clusters.

Hubble spots an unusual globular cluster that defies accepted models

10 April 2023 Astronomy Now

The Hubble Space Telescope finds a globular cluster with a population of helium-rich red giants that raises questions about currently accepted theories regarding how such clusters form.

Webb images M92, one of the Milky Way’s oldest globular clusters

23 February 2023 Astronomy Now

The James Webb Space Telescope provides a powerful new tool – the ability to image cool, low-mass stars in globular clusters like the familiar M92.

Hubble images a colourful globular cluster in Sagittarius

6 September 2021 Astronomy Now

M22, M13, Omega Centauri and other densely-populated globular clusters get most of the attention, but even sparsely-populated globulars provide rich fodder for the Hubble Space Telescope.

A frequently rediscovered globular cluster in Scorpius catches Hubble’s eye

13 July 2021 Astronomy Now

The origin of the globular clusters observed in most galaxies remains a mystery, but the vast star swarms provide some of the most stunning sights in the heavens for professional and amateur astronomers alike.

Another look at the densely packed stars of Omega Centauri

11 June 2021 Astronomy Now

The magnificent Omega Centauri globular cluster is a riveting sight in even small telescopes, but it takes the Hubble Space Telescope to provide the jaw-dropping vista seen here.

A favourite of amateurs and professionals alike, M13 sits for Hubble portrait

11 May 2021 Astronomy Now

The globular cluster M13 in Hercules, a splendid sight in even modest telescopes, serves up a vast metropolis of stars when imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope.