NGC 6453
Globular cluster in the constellation of Scorpius
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NGC 6453 is a globular cluster approximately 37,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius.[3][2]
| NGC 6453 | |
|---|---|
NGC 6453, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Class | IV [1] |
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Right ascension | 17h 50m 51.71s [2] |
| Declination | −34° 35′ 59.60″ [2] |
| Distance | 37.8 kly (11.6 kpc) [1][3] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 10.10 [1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 21.5′[1] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | 169,000 [3] M☉ |
| Metallicity | [Fe/H] = –1.50 [3] dex |
| Other designations | ESO 393-SC 036, GC 5878, h 3707[4] |
The cluster is located approximately 1 kpc (~3,260 light-years) from the Galactic Center,[5] which results in confounded view of the cluster from the Solar System due to many intervening clouds of cosmic dust.[6]
The cluster measures nearly 8' across, and its brightest stars are no brighter than 14th magnitude.[6]
Observational history
NGC 6453 was discovered by John Herschel on June 8, 1837,[7][1][6] while he was observing from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.[8] He included the cluster as "h 3708" in his 1864 Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars, and Danish-Irish astronomer John Dreyer later added the cluster to his New General Catalogue as object number 6453.[6] Dreyer described the cluster as "considerably large, irregularly round, pretty much brighter (in the) middle, round".[6]
