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Omega Centauri

C80, NGC 5139

Proper NameNone
Caldwell NumberC80
NGC/IC NumberNGC 5139
Other DesignationsOmega Centauri (originally a stellar designation)
ConstellationCentaurus
Right Ascension13h 26m 47s
Declination-47° 28' 46"
Distance15,800 light years
4,850 parsecs
MagnitudeApparent: +3.7
Absolute: -9.9
DiameterApparent: 55'
Actual: c.160 light years
Optimum VisibilityApril / May (Usually visible from southern latitudes)
NotesThe brightest globular cluster in the skies of Earth, and one of few such clusters visible to the naked eye. Omega Centauri is also the largest and most massive globular cluster associated with the Milky Way Galaxy, containing some ten million stars within a spherical region some 160 light years across.

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