Milky Way
Globular
Clusters
Index
1. Introduction
2. Orbits
3. Omega Centauri
4. 47 Tucanae
5. 47 Tuc Core
6. 47 Tuc Blue Stragglers
7. M4
8. M5
9. M10
10. M13
11. M15
12. M22
13. NGC 6522
14. Galactic Centre Chart
15. List of MW Globulars
16. Credits and Links
Omega Centauri
![[1]](javascript:{document.theImage.src='03_jw_o_cent_sm.jpg'}){kind=link}
![[2]](javascript:{document.theImage.src='03_jw_omega_rise.jpg'}){kind=link}
Image credits: Jason Ware
Omega Centauri or NGC 5139 is a globular cluster in the constellation Centaurus. It is one of the few globular clusters that can be seen with the naked eye (visual magnitude 3.7). Through binoculars or a telescope, it appears about the size of the full moon. It is the largest known Milky Way globular cluster. It contains several million stars. The stars in its center are so crowded that they are believed to be only 0.1 light years away from each other. Its distance is about 17,300 light-years. It is about 190 light years across.
It has a more varied set of star populations than many other globular clusters. It may be the remnant core of a satellite galaxy that was captured and stripped of the majority of its stars in passes throught the Milky Way's central bulge.
Source: Omega Centauri - Wikipedia