FIUCASE
Messier 71 - Open Cluster
Messier 71 is a globular cluster within the constellation Sagitta, which is Latin for “arrow.” It was first discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1746 and was added to the Messier catalogue in 1780. It lies approximately 12,000 light years away and has a diameter of 27 light years. M71 has always been a mystery to astronomers, who have been unable to reach a consensus on the classification of the cluster. It has difficulty fitting into either globular clusters or open clusters, as it is too large, dense, and old (at 9-10 billion years) for open clusters, yet too small, loose, and young for globular clusters. Finally, in the 1970s, during a study of the stars within the cluster, the discovery of the horizontal branch pattern, characteristic of globular clusters, settled the matter. This image is the result of four images, in red, blue, green, and luminance filters, all exposed for thirty seconds. They were taken by physics major Daniel Puentes using the telescope atop FIU’s Stocker AstroScience Center, and were color combined by Gabriel Salazar.
Messier 71 - Open Cluster
Messier 71 is a globular cluster within the constellation Sagitta, which is Latin for “arrow.” It was first discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1746 and was added to the Messier catalogue in 1780. It lies approximately 12,000 light years away and has a diameter of 27 light years. M71 has always been a mystery to astronomers, who have been unable to reach a consensus on the classification of the cluster. It has difficulty fitting into either globular clusters or open clusters, as it is too large, dense, and old (at 9-10 billion years) for open clusters, yet too small, loose, and young for globular clusters. Finally, in the 1970s, during a study of the stars within the cluster, the discovery of the horizontal branch pattern, characteristic of globular clusters, settled the matter. This image is the result of four images, in red, blue, green, and luminance filters, all exposed for thirty seconds. They were taken by physics major Daniel Puentes using the telescope atop FIU’s Stocker AstroScience Center, and were color combined by Gabriel Salazar.