The European Space Agency (ESA) has released new images of the star cluster Messier 72 (M72), a globular cluster located approximately 50,000 light-years from Earth. The latest Hubble data and improved processing techniques have allowed for a striking comparison between old and new images.
In the newly released photos, astronomers can see distinct groups of stars with different colors, which provide insights into their origins and evolution. The blue stars are more massive and hotter, having burned through most of their hydrogen fuel, while the bright red objects are lower-mass stars that have become red giants.
Pierre Méchain, a French astronomer who discovered M72 in 1780, was a colleague of Charles Messier, who recorded it as the 72nd entry in his famous catalog. This ancient star cluster is also one of the most remote clusters in the catalog.
The addition of ultraviolet observations to previous visible-light data has significantly enhanced our understanding of globular clusters and their formation. By studying these diverse groups of stars, astronomers can gain valuable insights into the initial stages of galaxy evolution.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-visits-glittering-cluster-capturing-its-ultraviolet-light