Messier 68

This photo was obtained with VLT KUEYEN on April 4, 1999. It is reproduced from an excellent 60-second R(ed)-band exposure of the innermost region of a globular cluster, Messier 68 (NGC 4590), in the southern constellation Hydra (The Water-Snake). The distance to this 8-mag cluster is about 35,000 light years, and the diameter is about 140 light-years. The excellent image quality is 0.38 arcsec, demonstrating a good optical and mechanical state of the telescope, already at this early stage of the commissioning phase. The field measures about 90 x 90 arcsec 2. The original scale is 0.0455 pix/arcsec and there are 2048x2048 pixels in one frame. North is up and East is left.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso9923a
Type:Observation
Release date:7 April 1999
Related releases:eso9923
Size:1985 x 1983 px

About the Object

Name:M 68, Messier 68
Type:Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster : Globular
Distance:35000 light years
Constellation:Hydra
Category:Star Clusters

Image Formats

Large JPEG
1.1 MB
Screensize JPEG
298.5 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
272.3 KB
1280x1024
411.8 KB
1600x1200
585.0 KB
1920x1200
720.9 KB
2048x1536
959.9 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):12 39 28.12
Position (Dec):-26° 44' 28.01"
Field of view:1.52 x 1.51 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 42.5° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical
R
Very Large Telescope