Star Cluster M53

M53 (also NGC 5024) is a globular cluster located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It belongs among the most distant globular clusters visible from the Northern Hemisphere – separated from Earth by about 58,000 light-years, yet under good conditions, it is visible even through smaller telescopes.

It contains hundreds of thousands of very old stars bound by gravity into a compact sphere with a diameter of approximately 220 light-years. Its age is estimated at over 12 billion years, making it one of the witnesses of the early universe.

Acquisition

Another DSO that I decided to photograph.