Observation by Alan Thomas: NGC 5053 Globular Cluster in Coma Bereni...

Uploaded by

Alan Thomas

Observer

Alan Thomas

Observed

2024 Apr 17 - 22:11

Uploaded

2024 Apr 19 - 10:54

Objects

NGC5053

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Constellation

Coma Berenices

Field centre

RA: 13^h16^m
Dec: +17°41'
Position angle: -22°56'

Field size

0°36' × 0°27'

Equipment

Unistellar eQuinox 112mm reflector

Exposure

20min.

Location

Norbreck Observatory, Warrington, Cheshire, UK.

Target name

NGC 5053 Globular Cluster in Coma Berenices

Title

NGC 5053 Globular Cluster in Coma Berenices

About this image

This extremely loose (Class IX), faint (mag. 9.96) globular cluster could easily be taken for an open cluster. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784 March 14, almost exactly 240 years prior to this observation. Herschel described it as "an extremely faint cluster of extremely small stars"; it is far fainter than most of the Messier globulars, containing stars of between mag 14 and 17. However, it is quite a pretty object showing good colours in this twenty-minute exposure.

Distance c.54,000ly. Diameter c.160ly.

Bortle 7/8. Moon at first quarter (77%) in a clear sky.

Files associated with this observation

eVscope-20240417-221050 (2).jpg (251.5 kB)

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Dr Paul Leyland

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