Astronomical Observatory: Cool Images

Astr112 Photography Projects, Spring 2006

M53, Jori Wassink

M53 is a Globular star cluster, which contains anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. It is about 60,000 light years from our solar system and is about 55 light years in diameter. Its total luminosity is about 200,000 times that of our sun. It has a bright central nucleus. Johann Elert Bode found it at the Berlin observatory on February 3, 1775.

M53 is a beautiful looking globular star cluster. Johann Elert Bode saw it first, and and described it as a "rather vivid and round" nebula. As you can see in the picture he was correct. It is amazingly round and even, with no side having a lot more stars then another. It has a angular size of approximately 8 by 10 arcminutes and the linear size of the photo is approximately 174 light years. It has been studied throughout history by many different people, and is a great wonder of God's creation.

References:
Normandin, George "Globular Star Cluster M-53" May 5th, 2001.

M53, "Globular Star Cluster"