Messier 15. NGC 7078

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Messier 15 is a very old (12 billion years old) globular cluster, located at 34,000 light years in the constellation Pegasus. Containing over 100,000 stars, 8 of which are neutron stars (even a double neutron star system has been detected in M15), and over 100 variable stars. The core has undergone a core collapse and it is extremely compact (1.4 light years). It is believed that an intermediate mass black hole (about 3,000 solar masses) lurks in the center of it. Core collapse is rather common in the Milky Way’s globulars (about one fifth of them have undergone core collapse).

 

Additional Information

Object

Name(s): Messier 15. M15. NGC 7078

Type: Globular Cluster

RA:  21h 29m 58s

Dec: +12º 10’ 00”

Constellation: Pegasus

Size (arcmin): 12×12 arcmin

Magnitude: +6.2

Distance: 34,000 ly

Image

Date: 2021-09-07 to 2021-12-19

Location: Curiosity2 Observatory, New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, NM, USA

Size (arcmin): 51×31 arcmin

Telescope: 20” (51 cm) f/4.5 Reflector

Camera: FLI PL11002 (4008×2672 pix)

Guiding: Astrodon MonsterMOAG off-axis guider

Total exposure: 2 hours (L: 30 min; RGB: 30 min each)

Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2022

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