Clusters & Stars
Messier 15
Messier 15, one of the oldest and densest globular clusters, 33,600 light-years away in Pegasus – photographed by Pete Lawrence.
Target details
Messier 15 is a globular cluster in Pegasus, about 33,600 light-years away and 175 light-years across. At around 12 billion years old it's one of the oldest known, and it shines with the light of about 360,000 Suns. It's also one of the most tightly packed globulars in the Milky Way: its core has 'collapsed', crowding a huge number of stars around what may be a central black hole. Among its 100,000-plus stars are 112 variable stars and 8 pulsars, including the double neutron star system M15 C.
Capture details
Data captured 16th & 17th July, 2017.
62x 4 minute exposures at ISO400.
Equipment details
Skywatcher Quattro 200 CF
NEQ6 Pro
Canon 40d (IR Filter removed)
Skywatcher ST-80 QHY5L-II
Processing details
This image was processed in Pixinsight & Lightroom.