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Galaxies
Read MoreThe Sombrero Galaxy and a Swarm of Globular Clusters (annotated)
The Sombrero galaxy, or Messier 104, is a giant Sa type disk galaxy viewed from just above its equatorial plane and outlined by a prominent dark rim of obscuring dust.
The central bulge is unusually bright and extended, and orbiting the galaxy is one of the largest known populations of globular clusters, containing up to 1900 members. In comparison our own Milky Way galaxy has only around 150-200 such clusters. Nearby prime examples of these are Omega Centauri, Messier 4 and NGC6752.
Highlighted in this image are 136 of the Sombrero's brightest globulars, ranging in V magnitudes from 17.5 to 22+. The names and magnitude details of these clusters are given below (from SIMBAD). Some of these globulars are very large and one is classified as a separate Ultra Compact Dwarf galaxy, SUCD1, the closest known example of such an object. It is not known how the Sombrero amassed such a large number of globular clusters. This is normally a more typical feature of large elliptical galaxies. For example up to 12,000 globular clusters are orbiting the giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87.
The Sombrero Galaxy also contains a supermassive black hole of one billion solar masses - one of the most massive black holes among nearby galaxies.
The galaxy lies some 30 million light years away in the direction of the constellation Virgo.
In the background numerous distant galaxies can be seen, many of then clumped together in groups. Also, what appears to be a faint dwarf galaxy of the Sombrero is visible near the middle of the bottom edge of the image (between globulars #82 and #99).
Image details:
Date: 19th April, 22nd and 24th May 2012
Exposure: LRGB: 210:17:17:17m, total 4hrs 21mins
Telescope: 10" Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon LRGB E-Series Gen 2
Taken from my observatory in Auckland, New Zealand
List of all globular clusters visible in the image:
Type | MagB | MagV | MagR | ||||
1 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1154 | 12 40 37.04 | -11 29 27.0 | 20.10 | 19.44 | 18.93 |
2 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1164 | 12 40 36.77 | -11 30 25.8 | 21.02 | 20.46 | 20.03 |
3 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 997 | 12 40 41.23 | -11 34 33.0 | 19.95 | 19.18 | 18.64 |
4 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1045 | 12 40 39.82 | -11 36 55.1 | 20.43 | 19.67 | 19.19 |
5 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1255 | 12 40 34.76 | -11 38 10.2 | 20.54 | 19.81 | 19.30 |
6 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1430 | 12 40 29.82 | -11 33 40.0 | 20.88 | 20.19 | 19.72 |
7 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1771 | 12 40 21.24 | -11 36 31.9 | 21.57 | 20.82 | 20.31 |
8 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-26 | 12 40 16.559 | -11 33 18.62 | |||
9 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2086 | 12 40 14.64 | -11 31 55.5 | 20.20 | 19.48 | 18.98 |
10 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-21 | 12 40 11.618 | -11 33 05.49 | |||
11 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-19 | 12 40 10.315 | -11 32 46.64 | |||
12 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2449 | 12 40 08.09 | -11 33 11.1 | 20.45 | 19.69 | 19.16 |
13 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-14 | 12 40 09.149 | -11 33 28.74 | |||
14 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 2-11 | 12 40 08.433 | -11 33 58.15 | 21.40 | 20.89 | 20.42 |
15 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2358 | 12 40 09.760 | -11 35 21.45 | 21.32 | 20.51 | 19.96 |
16 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2148 | 12 40 13.48 | -11 35 51.3 | 21.50 | 20.79 | 20.33 |
17 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2021 | 12 40 15.58 | -11 36 21.0 | 20.86 | 20.19 | 19.73 |
18 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2289 | 12 40 10.911 | -11 35 55.56 | 21.09 | 20.51 | 20.09 |
19 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2129 | 12 40 13.79 | -11 37 02.4 | 20.66 | 19.91 | 19.41 |
20 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2307 | 12 40 10.597 | -11 36 46.20 | 21.18 | 20.25 | 19.71 |
21 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X114 | 12 40 10.4 | -11 36 39 | |||
22 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X113 | 12 40 09.7 | -11 36 45 | |||
23 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X112 | 12 40 09.5 | -11 36 47 | |||
24 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2363 | 12 40 09.73 | -11 36 22.6 | 20.14 | 19.45 | 18.97 |
25 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2491 | 12 40 07.431 | -11 35 52.27 | 21.24 | 20.49 | 19.99 |
26 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2512 | 12 40 07.08 | -11 36 04.7 | 20.59 | 19.67 | 19.09 |
27 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2551 | 12 40 06.237 | -11 36 47.96 | 21.44 | 20.40 | 19.83 |
28 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 1-11 | 12 40 04.890 | -11 36 22.45 | 21.35 | 20.71 | 20.26 |
29 | GlCl | [LFB2001] C-068 | 12 40 03.21 | -11 36 04.4 | 21.20 | 20.36 | 19.81 |
30 | GlCl | [LFB2001] C-051 | 12 40 01.58 | -11 36 16.9 | 22.12 | 21.30 | 20.71 |
31 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-7 | 12 40 04.615 | -11 35 36.91 | |||
32 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X104 | 12 40 05.3 | -11 35 00 | |||
33 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2666 | 12 40 03.66 | -11 34 50.1 | 20.62 | 19.76 | 19.21 |
34 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-6 | 12 40 02.818 | -11 34 38.03 | |||
35 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-9 | 12 40 04.930 | -11 34 04.78 | |||
36 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2743 | 12 40 02.26 | -11 33 14.1 | 19.22 | 18.65 | 18.31 |
37 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-8 | 12 40 03.572 | -11 32 42.52 | |||
38 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2576 | 12 40 05.65 | -11 32 29.5 | 21.00 | 20.38 | 19.91 |
39 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2863 | 12 40 00.16 | -11 32 27.7 | 20.20 | 19.36 | 18.81 |
40 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2985 | 12 39 57.62 | -11 31 25.0 | 20.20 | 19.28 | 18.68 |
41 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2748 | 12 40 02.20 | -11 30 26.8 | 20.61 | 19.87 | 19.39 |
42 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-29 | 12 39 57.308 | -11 33 02.45 | |||
43 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3075 | 12 39 55.44 | -11 33 24.2 | 20.53 | 19.81 | 19.34 |
44 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X65 | 12 39 59.752 | -11 34 55.42 | 21.48 | 20.89 | 20.40 |
45 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X76 | 12 40 00.635 | -11 35 20.35 | 21.28 | 20.55 | 20.05 |
46 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X63 | 12 39 59.7 | -11 35 25 | |||
47 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2916 | 12 39 58.95 | -11 35 22.6 | 20.27 | 19.53 | 19.01 |
48 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X26 | 12 39 55.84 | -11 34 48.4 | 20.46 | 19.46 | 18.85 |
49 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X122 | 12 40 15.345 | -11 37 35.52 | 21.49 | 20.62 | 20.00 |
50 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-1 | 12 40 16.519 | -11 38 01.39 | |||
51 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2200 | 12 40 12.388 | -11 38 13.01 | 21.11 | 20.44 | 19.97 |
52 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2242 | 12 40 11.571 | -11 38 15.30 | 20.96 | 20.35 | 19.91 |
53 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2109 | 12 40 14.047 | -11 38 39.25 | 21.32 | 20.50 | 19.96 |
54 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X119 | 12 40 12.9 | -11 39 03 | |||
55 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 1-29 | 12 40 13.520 | -11 39 12.92 | 22.05 | 20.97 | 20.30 |
56 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-20 | 12 40 13.541 | -11 39 19.37 | |||
57 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-17 | 12 40 11.393 | -11 38 54.32 | |||
58 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1638 | 12 40 24.74 | -11 39 50.7 | 20.50 | 19.56 | 18.95 |
59 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-28 | 12 40 19.805 | -11 39 59.44 | |||
60 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2038 | 12 40 15.31 | -11 40 12.7 | 20.08 | 19.33 | 18.84 |
61 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 1233 | 12 40 35.37 | -11 41 36.6 | 22.33 | 21.41 | 20.83 |
62 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-23 | 12 40 17.192 | -11 41 31.59 | |||
63 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-9 | 12 40 15.379 | -11 41 53.70 | |||
64 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2237 | 12 40 11.668 | -11 41 57.40 | 21.24 | 20.54 | 20.06 |
65 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-36 | 12 40 11.506 | -11 42 39.88 | |||
66 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-40 | 12 40 02.726 | -11 41 44.05 | |||
67 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-10 | 12 40 12.205 | -11 40 48.85 | |||
68 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-21 | 12 40 11.016 | -11 40 53.47 | |||
69 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2257 | 12 40 11.308 | -11 39 43.96 | 21.52 | 20.82 | 20.35 |
70 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2303 | 12 40 10.77 | -11 40 00.6 | 20.72 | 20.02 | 19.56 |
71 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2421 | 12 40 08.65 | -11 39 30.8 | 20.77 | 19.85 | 19.28 |
72 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-22 | 12 40 07.299 | -11 39 24.28 | |||
73 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2544 | 12 40 06.317 | -11 40 14.21 | 21.91 | 21.10 | 20.57 |
74 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2637 | 12 40 04.371 | -11 40 19.22 | 21.77 | 20.86 | 20.33 |
75 | Galaxy | SUCD 1 | 12 40 03.13 | -11 40 04.3 | 18.00 | 17.46 | 16.50 |
76 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X85 | 12 40 01.4 | -11 40 10 | |||
77 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-24 | 12 40 00.970 | -11 39 40.63 | |||
78 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2777 | 12 40 01.512 | -11 39 04.77 | 21.82 | 20.95 | 20.39 |
79 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 2-15 | 12 40 02.949 | -11 38 46.79 | 21.65 | 20.90 | 20.39 |
80 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2316 | 12 40 10.52 | -11 45 20.4 | 21.17 | 20.31 | 19.77 |
81 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2475 | 12 40 07.68 | -11 46 04.8 | 20.75 | 20.02 | 19.56 |
82 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 2832 | 12 40 00.59 | -11 44 56.0 | 20.69 | 19.77 | 19.17 |
83 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X24 | 12 39 55.4 | -11 38 49 | |||
84 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3064 | 12 39 55.73 | -11 39 32.3 | 21.21 | 20.30 | 19.74 |
85 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3093 | 12 39 55.07 | -11 39 28.6 | 20.98 | 20.28 | 19.80 |
86 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-30 | 12 39 53.275 | -11 39 53.12 | |||
87 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3101 | 12 39 54.699 | -11 40 36.97 | 21.92 | 20.97 | 20.38 |
88 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-38 | 12 39 54.849 | -11 41 10.74 | |||
89 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-43 | 12 39 53.003 | -11 38 42.91 | |||
90 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3173 | 12 39 52.808 | -11 39 11.84 | 21.66 | 21.00 | 20.52 |
91 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3284 | 12 39 50.781 | -11 38 55.29 | 21.92 | 21.11 | 20.63 |
92 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X15 | 12 39 51.1 | -11 38 34 | |||
93 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X12 | 12 39 50.9 | -11 38 23 | |||
94 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3320 | 12 39 50.13 | -11 38 28.9 | 20.45 | 19.54 | 18.99 |
95 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X7 | 12 39 45.610 | -11 39 33.64 | 20.43 | 19.47 | 18.85 |
96 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-32 | 12 39 48.276 | -11 40 37.21 | |||
97 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-18 | 12 39 48.267 | -11 41 27.54 | |||
98 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3394 | 12 39 48.09 | -11 42 08.4 | 20.68 | 19.96 | 19.49 |
99 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3246 | 12 39 51.41 | -11 44 06.4 | 21.23 | 20.60 | 20.17 |
100 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3638 | 12 39 42.75 | -11 42 48.0 | 21.05 | 20.38 | 19.91 |
101 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-23 | 12 39 42.109 | -11 41 19.24 | |||
102 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3676 | 12 39 41.952 | -11 40 59.97 | 22.26 | 21.29 | 20.71 |
103 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-27 | 12 39 39.493 | -11 40 51.79 | |||
104 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3892 | 12 39 37.77 | -11 40 30.7 | 20.48 | 19.57 | 18.99 |
105 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-18 | 12 39 43.492 | -11 39 31.28 | |||
106 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-22 | 12 39 41.535 | -11 39 45.91 | |||
107 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-42 | 12 39 39.781 | -11 39 39.90 | |||
108 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3680 | 12 39 41.98 | -11 38 27.1 | 20.18 | 19.47 | 18.99 |
109 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3873 | 12 39 38.14 | -11 38 38.5 | 20.85 | 20.16 | 19.70 |
110 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3987 | 12 39 35.63 | -11 38 30.1 | 20.17 | 19.51 | 19.03 |
111 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4303 | 12 39 27.74 | -11 41 11.7 | 20.71 | 19.91 | 19.39 |
112 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4158 | 12 39 31.48 | -11 36 34.9 | 22.08 | 21.37 | 20.94 |
113 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4206 | 12 39 30.18 | -11 36 13.7 | 20.41 | 19.71 | 19.25 |
114 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3575 | 12 39 44.014 | -11 37 30.47 | 21.59 | 20.75 | 20.17 |
115 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-25 | 12 39 43.405 | -11 37 32.01 | |||
116 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3461 | 12 39 46.61 | -11 36 50.6 | 20.71 | 19.68 | 19.10 |
117 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-41 | 12 39 43.699 | -11 36 52.80 | |||
118 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X3 | 12 39 43.1 | -11 36 44 | |||
119 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X20 | 12 39 54.6 | -11 36 02 | |||
120 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 2-7 | 12 39 54.007 | -11 36 05.82 | 21.38 | 20.52 | 19.95 |
121 | GlCl | [BAZ97] 2-16 | 12 39 52.814 | -11 36 18.66 | 21.19 | 20.77 | 20.47 |
122 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3222 | 12 39 51.89 | -11 36 27.1 | 20.65 | 19.89 | 19.37 |
123 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3191 | 12 39 52.300 | -11 35 41.33 | 21.29 | 20.41 | 19.85 |
124 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3357 | 12 39 49.281 | -11 34 35.54 | 21.39 | 20.73 | 20.27 |
125 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-34 | 12 39 47.312 | -11 34 52.72 | |||
126 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 2-27 | 12 39 49.349 | -11 33 21.42 | |||
127 | GlCl? | [BAZ97] 1-31 | 12 39 42.122 | -11 33 17.86 | |||
128 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3965 | 12 39 36.08 | -11 34 08.6 | 21.28 | 20.65 | 20.21 |
129 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3667 | 12 39 42.089 | -11 35 24.22 | 22.14 | 21.31 | 20.78 |
130 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3835 | 12 39 38.91 | -11 35 12.2 | 21.13 | 20.47 | 20.00 |
131 | GlCl | [DKV2003] X4 | 12 39 44.2 | -11 36 01 | |||
132 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 3728 | 12 39 41.122 | -11 36 09.11 | 21.37 | 20.69 | 20.25 |
133 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4108 | 12 39 32.74 | -11 30 31.2 | 20.92 | 20.18 | 19.67 |
134 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4247 | 12 39 29.37 | -11 29 33.3 | 20.31 | 19.65 | 19.20 |
135 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4682 | 12 39 18.51 | -11 30 57.5 | 20.84 | 20.16 | 19.68 |
136 | GlCl | [RZ2004] GCl 4966 | 12 39 11.62 | -11 34 00.6 | 20.39 | 19.73 | 19.24 |
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