Jun 24
M26 // Jeff Fishman
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M26 // Jeff Fishman
M26 // Jim Starek
M26 // Antonio D'Abrosca
The open cluster M26, located about 5,000 light years away, was an original discovery of Messier's in 1764. One weird feature of M26 is that there are fewer stars at its center than there should be. There is no consensus on why that is; a common explanation is that there is a light-obscuring dust cloud between us and the cluster, but that has been ruled out.
Messier 26 - Open Cluster in Scutum
Discovered and catalogued by the French comet-hunter Charles Messier in 1764, M26 is an open cluster located in the constellation Scutum. In short, an open cluster is a loose collection of young stars who share the same cosmic origin, giving them all the same age and composition. This open cluster in particular is known for having a low star density near its centre, which is a scientific way of saying that there is less there than there should be. This is likely due to a cloud of dust and/or gas obscuring our view.
Top: Wide-Field - John Mirtle
Bottom: Close-Up - Hillary Mathis and Vanessa Harvey