Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Coma Berenices (Com)  ·  Contains:  M 53  ·  NGC 5024  ·  NGC 5053
M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars, Dave Erickson
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M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars

M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars, Dave Erickson
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M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars

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Description

M53: is an interesting Globular Cluster at a distance of 60,000 light years. This distance makes it one of the most distant of the outlying clusters.

Unlike the metal Rich M3, M53 is one of the most metal poor globular clusters. This would indicate that stars that comprise M53 were formed from gas that had not been recycled from stars of previous generations.

M53 is in Coma Berenices constellation and was discovered by Johann Bode in 1775.

NGC 5053: In the same frame and less than 1° from M53 is the less dense globular cluster NGC5053. While close to M53, NGC5053 wasn't discovered until 1784, 9 years later, when William Herschal cataloged it as VI-7.

NGC5053 and M53 are roughly the same distance from earth. Placing them within a couple of kpc's from each other. There is a tidal bridge joining them suggesting that they may have interacted sometime in the past.

At first glance NGC 5053 has the appearance of a dwarf galaxy. Like M53, 5053 is also a metal poor globular cluster. Given the low metallicity and motion of its stars, NGC 5053 may have been stripped from a dwarf galaxy, supporting its appearance as one. It may also have been robbed of stars during an interaction with more massive M53..

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  • M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars, Dave Erickson
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    M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars, Dave Erickson
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M53 and NGC5053 Two distant Globulars, Dave Erickson