Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Thu Mar 16 2023 00:03:56

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2023 March 16

                     Millions of Stars in Omega Centauri
      Image Credit & Copyright: Neil Corke, Heaven's Mirror Observatory

   Explanation: Globular star cluster Omega Centauri, also known as NGC
   5139, is 15,000 light-years away. The cluster is packed with about 10
   million stars much older than the Sun within a volume about 150
   light-years in diameter. It's the largest and brightest of 200 or so
   known globular clusters that roam the halo of our Milky Way galaxy.
   Though most star clusters consist of stars with the same age and
   composition, the enigmatic Omega Cen exhibits the presence of different
   stellar populations with a spread of ages and chemical abundances. In
   fact, Omega Cen may be the remnant core of a small galaxy merging with
   the Milky Way. Omega Centauri's red giant stars (with a yellowish hue)
   are easy to pick out in this sharp, color telescopic view.

                       Tomorrow's picture: serpentine
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