NGC 6934 from Gemini North
Explanation:
What's going on near the center of
globular cluster NGC 6934?
The blur caused by the
Earth's atmosphere has prevented astronomers
from discerning individual stars in this unusual environment.
Telescopes in space can
help, but the new
Gemini North telescope
took the
above picture from the ground. In
infrared light, Gemini was able to use its
adaptive optic mirrors to resolve stars
even near the globular cluster's center.
NGC 6934 is a 15 billion-year-old ball of
hundreds of thousands of stars. Dating stars in
ancient globular clusters
like NGC 6934 provide valuable constraints on the minimum
age of the universe.
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.
