The VLT sharpens its view

This image was obtained in the early morning of June 6, 1998. It shows the central part of the southern globular cluster Messier 55 (or NGC 6809) in the constellation Sagittarius. The exposure lasted 30 seconds and was made with the VLT Test Camera through an optical filtre isolating mostly red light (570 - 700 nm). It is here shown exactly as it was obtained ("raw image"), without any image processing . The brightness level in the reproduction has been set so that the fainter stars are well visible. The field shown is 83 x 83 arcsec; each pixel measures 0.0455 arcsec.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso9821a
Type:Observation
Release date:10 June 1998
Related releases:eso9821
Size:1998 x 1890 px

About the Object

Name:M 55, Messier 55, NGC 6809
Type:Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster : Globular
Distance:17000 light years
Constellation:Sagittarius
Category:Star Clusters

Image Formats

Large JPEG
686.6 KB
Screensize JPEG
234.2 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
228.7 KB
1280x1024
332.6 KB
1600x1200
422.1 KB
1920x1200
454.2 KB
2048x1536
586.0 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):19 39 59.21
Position (Dec):-30° 57' 50.80"
Field of view:1.41 x 1.33 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 44.6° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
R
635 nmVery Large Telescope