M 53

”]Initially discovered in 1775, this globular cluster was independently recovered in 1777 by Charles Messier and added to his list.  One of the most distant globular clusters, M 53 is currently 60,000 light years distant from the galactic center and almost as far from the solar system (58,000 LYs).  The cluster is some 220 LYs in diameter, has a visual magnitude of 8.3 and is located in the northern constellation Coma Berenices (Berenices’ Hair).

This image was taken on the night of May 14.  With a limiting magnitude of 19.1, it consists of 120 ten second exposures.