#ngc 5286

[quiltofstars]

NGC 5286, C84 // AnaTa

Located just slightly north of the star M Centauri lies the globular cluster NGC 5286 about 35,900 light years from Earth in the constellation of Centaurus, the Centaur. Discovered in 1826 by James Dunlop (1793-1848), astronomers have hypothesized that this globular cluster is a member of the "Gaia Sausage" — the remnants of a dwarf galaxy that collided with the Milky Way between 8 and 10 million years ago.

This globular cluster is best seen during the southern hemisphere's autumn months, although the light from the much brighter star M Centauri can make viewing this object difficult.

[cosmicvastness]

NGC 5286 and M Centauri

NGC 5286 is a globular cluster located approximately 36,000 light years away in the southern constellation Centaurus. It appears very close to the naked eye star M Centauri (magnitude 4.6).

Credit: Rolf Olsen

[quiltofstars]

NGC 5286 // Scotty Bishop

[quiltofstars]

NGC 5286 and the star M Centauri // Damian Peach

[quiltofstars]

A Stellar Pairing: NGC 5286 (left) and M Centauri (right) // Daniel Nobre