#caldwell 104

[quiltofstars]

NGC 362, C104 // AnaTa

Like a galactic glitter bomb in the night sky, NGC 362 is a globular cluster of stars about 29,300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Tucana, the Toucan. It was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop (1793-1848) in 1826. It is best seen year-round in the southern hemisphere.

[quiltofstars]

NGC 362, C104 (upper left) // David Cheng

Located just off the "coast" of the Small Magellanic Cloud, NGC 362 is an impressive sight in a telescope, but it is somewhat overshadowed by its larger and brighter cousin, 47 Tucanae (right).

[quiltofstars]

NGC 362, C104 // Bruno Rota Sargi

NGC 362 is one of about 150 globular clusters in the Milky Way, but it stands out because it has a relatively young stellar population. It boasts a surprisingly high metal content, which means that it formed more recently than expected. In fact, they appear 2 to 3 billion years younger than stars in other globular clusters!