Messier 4 globular cluster. Hubble Space Telescope image showing the centre of globular star cluster Messier 4 (M4, NGC 6121). Globular star clusters are large, densely-packed balls of old stars. M4 measures around 75 light years across and lies around 7200 light years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. It contains tens of thousands of stars and is noteworthy in being home to many white dwarfs the cores of ancient, dying stars whose outer layers have drifted away into space. In July 2003, Hubble helped make the discovery of planet PSR B1620-26 b, 2.5 times the mass of Jupiter, which is located in this cluster. Its age is estimated to be around 13 billion years, almost three times as old as the Solar System. It is also unusual in that it orbits a binary system of a white dwarf and a pulsar. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY |
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