Messier object number 53, a Globular
Cluster in the constellation Coma Berneices about 1 degree away from
the 4th magnitude star 42 Alpha Comae Berenices. M53 is
about 60,000 light-years away from the Galactic center and almost the
same distance from our solar system. Discovered first by Johann Elert
Bode on February 3, 1775, it was then independently discovered at
cataloged by Charles Messier on February 26, 1777.
'X' marks the spot of M53.
Through the telescope in my back yard
M53 is faint and small with a dense inner core and rapidly fading to
the outside edges. A slight oval shape to the central core. Could not
resolve any actual stars within the cluster visually, but more were
visible in photographs.
M53 - Click to enlarge.
This image of M53 is a stack of 14
images at 30 seconds a piece. Also used 8 dark frames and 15 bias
frames. Images stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and edited in Gimp. Taken late night to early morning of April 13-14, 2012.
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