半人马座有数百万颗恒星
(原标题: Millions of Stars in Omega Centauri)
2024-03-28
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半人马座球状星团欧米伽，也被称为NGC 5139，距离我们1.5万光年。这个星团的直径约为150光年，里面有大约1000万颗比太阳老得多的恒星。它是已知的大约200个球状星团中最大、最亮的一个，这些球状星团漫游在我们银河系的光晕中。虽然大多数星团都是由年龄和组成相同的恒星组成的，但神秘的半人马座欧米茄显示出不同年龄和化学丰度的不同恒星群的存在。事实上，半人马座可能是一个与银河系合并的小星系的残余核心。半人马座欧米伽的红巨星呈淡黄色，在这张清晰的彩色望远镜照片中很容易辨认出来。
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Globular star cluster Omega Centauri, also known as NGC 5139, is 15,000 light-years away. The cluster is packed with about 10 million stars much older than the Sun within a volume about 150 light-years in diameter. It's the largest and brightest of 200 or so known globular clusters that roam the halo of our Milky Way galaxy. Though most star clusters consist of stars with the same age and composition, the enigmatic Omega Cen exhibits the presence of different stellar populations with a spread of ages and chemical abundances. In fact, Omega Cen may be the remnant core of a small galaxy merging with the Milky Way. With a yellowish hue, Omega Centauri's red giant stars are easy to pick out in this sharp, color telescopic view.
© Massimo Di Fusco