| Globular Cluster M3 |
The globular cluster M3 lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, on the border with Bootes. Although it may contain as many stars at the
Great Hercules Cluster M13, it is a third farther away at a distance of about 33,000 light years, and therefore somewhat dimmer and visually
smaller. Furthermore, the cluster contains a dense core, with half of its 500,000 stars contained within an 11 light-year radius of its core.
For comparison, only a dozen stars reside within 11 light-years of our sun. M3 is also notable for the unusually high number of variable
stars, which have been used to calculate the distance to the cluster.
Visually through a telescope, the dense central concentration stars of M3 obscures resolution of the core. M3, truly, hides its heart from us.
.
The image above was obtained with an ST10XME camera, with an AP 0.67x reducer, through a 12" Meade LX200R telescope. I
combined exposures of 25 minutes of red, and 20 minutes each of blue and green.
Great Hercules Cluster M13, it is a third farther away at a distance of about 33,000 light years, and therefore somewhat dimmer and visually
smaller. Furthermore, the cluster contains a dense core, with half of its 500,000 stars contained within an 11 light-year radius of its core.
For comparison, only a dozen stars reside within 11 light-years of our sun. M3 is also notable for the unusually high number of variable
stars, which have been used to calculate the distance to the cluster.
Visually through a telescope, the dense central concentration stars of M3 obscures resolution of the core. M3, truly, hides its heart from us.
.
The image above was obtained with an ST10XME camera, with an AP 0.67x reducer, through a 12" Meade LX200R telescope. I
combined exposures of 25 minutes of red, and 20 minutes each of blue and green.
Music: You've got to hide your love away, by the Beatles