M 68, globular cluster

The globular cluster M 68 is approximately 33,600 light-years from Earth. Its highly eccentric orbit around the center of the Milky Way suggests that it may have been captured by one of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies. Its magnitude of 7.8 makes it visible even with binoculars, but obviously a telescope capable of good observation at high magnifications is needed to discern individual stars.

This image was obtained remotely from Chile between January 25 and 31, 2025. The total exposure was one hour in LRGB with a Planewave CDK24 60cm f/6.5 telescope and a QHY 600M camera.

Credits: Simone Bolzoni | El Sauce Observatory (Chile) | Telescope Live