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Credit: G. De Marchi, F. Paresce, B. Leibundgut, L. Pulone,
(European Southern Observatory)
Explanation:
Following orbits which loop
high above the galactic plane,
globular star clusters are probably 12 to 14 billion years old -
truly ancient denizens of our Milky Way Galaxy.
After analyzing these new ESO/VLT
images of portions of the globular cluster NGC 6712,
astronomers report that this dense grouping of about 1 million stars
seems to be slowly dissolving - steadily loosing fainter, lower mass
stars into our Galaxy's halo.
Their results offer strong evidence for
gravitational stripping of stars from clusters which pass through
the plane and central regions of the Galaxy.
One of
about 150 globular clusters known to be members of the Milky Way,
NGC 6712 is thought to have
crossed through the crowded galactic plane
only a few million years ago.
NGC 6712 is about 23,000 light-years away in the
southern constellation Scutum.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: cluster - NGC 6712 - globular cluster - Milky Way
Publications with words: cluster - NGC 6712 - globular cluster - Milky Way
See also: