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Even from our limited perspective here on Earth, we know that outer space is a place of vast void. This knowledge is what makes this look at NGC 6380 all the more surreal.
This latest Hubble image sharing highlights the globular cluster that has lost many names (and, as NASA notes, quite boring) since its existence was first recorded in 1826. The actual view of NGC 6380 is rubbish. But boring, however.
Look at this wonderful landscape of stars ….
The globular cluster NGC 6380, captured by the wide-field camera 3 of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Credit: ESA / Hubble & NASA, E. Noyola
This bright blue spectacle at the top of the image is not actually part of NGC 6380. The globular cluster, which is a spherical formation of stars held together by gravity, is located 35,000 light years from Earth. Our blue friend, a star nicknamed HD 159073, is much closer to only (lol) 4000 light years away.
Like most things that live in deep space, our knowledge of NGC 6380 is limited by what we can observe from our great distance. It is part of the constellation Scorpio – yes, this mess of stars is just one point of light to our naked, puny human eyes. But as you can see above, it looks absolutely stunning when we zoom in for a closer view.
Two galaxies collide in chaotic Hubble image
Pictures like this are only possible because Hubble is still functional. The more than 30-year-old satellite is nearing the end of its life, with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope at the end of 2021. Hubble’s operations were even halted in June when the satellite’s onboard computer shut down. work, but fortunately this problem seems to be fixed.
So enjoy this deep space view, compliments of Earth’s best eye in the sky (for now).
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