Images of Globular Star Clusters
Updated: Apr 12, 2010

M-13

Image by Rich Lanker and Mike O'Neal

There's a fascinating story about globular star clusters and how astronomers can determine whether these dense aggregates of stars go through a stage in there lives called "core collapse." See the well written article, "A Thousand Blazing Suns" by Brian W. Murphy from Butler University.

M-14

Stony Ridge Observatory 0.76-m f/6 Newtonian, ST-1001 unfiltered, 8-minutes total integration, August 1, 2002 - Tim Cann, John Rogers and Steve Brewster. Click on image for Hi-Resolution version.

Located in the constellation Ophiuchus at a distance of 70,000 light-years, a number of variable stars (72 identified by 1963) have been detected in this cluster including a nova in 1938 (from Burnham's Celestial Handbook,vol.2 p.1263).

M-15

Image by Sara Martin, Pam Sable & Steve Brewster
taken at the 0.76-m reflector with an ST-6.

M-71

Located in the constellation Sagitta, M-71 appears to be less condensed than some of the other examples of globulars on this page. Globular star clusters are classified by this difference and are designated with the Roman numerals I (most highly condensed) to XII (loosely condensed). The class for M-71 is undetermined, but probably higher than IX. M-13 is class V, M-14 = class VIII, M-15 = class IV. The image is a mosaic of 4 CCD frames of 30 seconds' exposure each. Steve Brewster, 0.76-m f/6 reflector + ST6.

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