5/5 ANT T. 11 months ago on Google
Looking
like
a
hoard
of
gems
fit
for
an
emperor's
collection,
this
deep
sky
object
called
NGC
6752
is
in
fact
far
more
worthy
of
admiration.
It
is
a
globular
cluster,
and
at
over
10
billion
years
old
is
one
the
most
ancient
collections
of
stars
known.
It
has
been
blazing
for
well
over
twice
as
long
long
as
our
Solar
System
has
existed.
NGC
6752
contains
a
high
number
of
"blue
straggler
stars,
some
of
which
are
visible
in
this
image.
These
stars
display
characteristics
of
stars
younger
than
their
neighbours,
despite
models
suggesting
that
most
of
the
stars
within
globular
clusters
should
have
formed
at
approximately
the
same
time.
Their
origin
is
therefore
something
of
a
mystery.
Studies
of
NGC
6752
may
shed
light
on
this
situation.
It
appears
that
a
very
high
number-
up
to
38%
of
the
stars
within
its
core
region
are
binary
systems.
Collisions
between
stars
in
this
turbulent
area
could
produce
the
blue
stragglers
that
are
so
prevalent.
Lying
13
000
light-years
distant,
NGC
6752
is
far
beyond
our
reach,
yet
the
clarity
of
Hubble's
images
brings
it
tantalisingly
close,