Globular Cluster Omega Centauri
Explanation:
Does an old, red globular cluster have any
hot, blue stars? The rightmost picture, taken by the Ultraviolet
Imaging Telescope in ultraviolet
light, shows that indeed it does.
Pictured,
Omega Centauri is the largest known
globular cluster in
our
Galaxy, containing well over
a million stars. Many of these stars are evident in the visible
light photograph on the left. When photographed in ultraviolet
light, however, different and less numerous stars emerge, as evident
on the photograph on the right. Most of these stars are thought
to have evolved past the current stage of our
Sun.
These stars no longer fuse hydrogen
to helium in their core
but rather
fuse
helium into
carbon.
These stars will soon shed their outer envelopes and end up as
smoldering carbon embers known as
white dwarf
stars.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
