NGC 5139 Omega Centauri In Centaurus Royalty-Free Stock Image

Omega Centauri (ω Cen or NGC 5139) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Centaurus, located at a distance of 15,800 light-years. Omega Centauri is one of the few globular clusters visible to the naked eye and appears almost as large as the full Moon when seen from a dark, rural area. It is the brightest, largest with a diameter of roughly 150 light-years. It is estimated to contain approximately 10 million stars with 4 million solar masses the most massive known globular cluster associated with our galaxy. The stars in the core of Omega Centauri are so crowded that they are estimated to average only 0.1 light years away from each other. It has been speculated that Omega Centauri may be the core of a dwarf galaxy which was disrupted and absorbed by our Milky Way galaxy. Taken on 21 February and 19 April 2015 from Moosee, Pakchong, Nakornratchasima province in Thailand. LRGB image with a total exposure of 150 minutes. SBIG STX-16803 CCD Camera, Takahashi TOA-130, 1,000 mm. f/7.7, Astro-physics 900 GTO.