Globular Cluster NGC 1846
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows globular cluster NGC 1846, a spherical collection of hundreds of thousands of stars in the outer halo of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring dwarf galaxy of the Milky Way that can be seen from the southern hemisphere.
Aging bright stars in the cluster glow in intense shades of red and blue. The majority of middle-aged stars, several billions of years old, are whitish in color. Many far-distant background galaxies of varying shapes and structure are scattered around the image as well.
One intriguing object is a faint green bubble near the bottom center of the image. This so-called "planetary nebula" is the aftermath of the death of a star. It is uncertain whether the planetary nebula is a member of NGC 1846, or whether it simply lies along the line of sight to the cluster.
Measurements of the motion of the cluster stars and the planetary nebula's central star suggest it might be a member of the cluster.
For more information, visit: hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2011/news-2011-35.html
Credit: NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA);
Acknowledgment: P. Goudfrooij (STScI)
Globular Cluster NGC 1846
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows globular cluster NGC 1846, a spherical collection of hundreds of thousands of stars in the outer halo of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring dwarf galaxy of the Milky Way that can be seen from the southern hemisphere.
Aging bright stars in the cluster glow in intense shades of red and blue. The majority of middle-aged stars, several billions of years old, are whitish in color. Many far-distant background galaxies of varying shapes and structure are scattered around the image as well.
One intriguing object is a faint green bubble near the bottom center of the image. This so-called "planetary nebula" is the aftermath of the death of a star. It is uncertain whether the planetary nebula is a member of NGC 1846, or whether it simply lies along the line of sight to the cluster.
Measurements of the motion of the cluster stars and the planetary nebula's central star suggest it might be a member of the cluster.
For more information, visit: hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2011/news-2011-35.html
Credit: NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA);
Acknowledgment: P. Goudfrooij (STScI)