Hubble Reveals Ancient Stars in NGC 6723 Chandelier Cluster
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captured a new image of globular cluster NGC 6723, known as the Chandelier Cluster, located 27,000 light-years away in Sagittarius. This dense stellar collection contains some of the Milky Way's oldest stars, with ages exceeding 10 billion years. Hubble's ultraviolet imaging revealed two closely spaced periods of star formation within 634 million years, challenging earlier assumptions that globular clusters formed in a single event. The observation was part of a survey of 65 globular clusters that has informed hundreds of research papers. Image credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto.
Key facts
- Hubble Space Telescope imaged globular cluster NGC 6723
- NGC 6723 is 27,000 light-years from Earth in Sagittarius
- Stars in NGC 6723 are over 10 billion years old
- Hubble's UV imaging found two star formation periods 634 million years apart
- Part of a survey of 65 globular clusters
- Survey informed hundreds of research papers
- Image credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto
- Globular clusters may be among the first structures in the Milky Way
Entities
Institutions
- NASA
- ESA
- Hubble Space Telescope
- James Webb Space Telescope
- PetaPixel
- KEH.com
- Moment
- FJ Westcott
- Blue Moon Camera and Machine
Locations
- Milky Way
- Sagittarius