Messier 68 is a globular cluster situated opposite to the Galactic Center which is an unusual place for a globular. It is orbiting the galactic bulge with an eccentricity of 0,5. Lying at a distance of about 33,000 light years from earth, the cluster spreads over 106 light years in diameter. It is one of the most metal-poor globular clusters, which means it has a paucity of elements other than hydrogen and helium. The cluster may be undergoing core collapse and it displays signs of being in rotation. The cluster may have been acquired in its gravitational tie to the through accretion from a satellite galaxy.
Not many colour pictures of this object besides the one of HST... this might be because Messier 68 is quite difficult to observe for Northern Hemisphere because of its southern declination. Messier 68 can be found by following a line from the stars Delta to Beta Corvi (mag 3), which points toward 5.4-mag ADS 8612 (SAO 180965). M68 is then easily located about 45 minutes NE of this star.
Taken with a 8 inches Orion Optics UK reflector with televue paracorr and a QSI 583 WS from Entre Rios, Argentina.
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