Object: Messier 53, also known as NGC 5024, is a globular cluster in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It is easily visible in binoculars as a faint glow. A telescope clearly shows the cluster brightening towards the center. M53 is one of the most distant globular clusters from Earth, lying more than 60,000 light-years away. It is a metal-poor cluster and is thought to be the most metal-poor cluster in the Milky Way. Abundance measurements of cluster members on the red giant branch show that most are first-generation stars. That is, they did not form from gas recycled from previous generations of stars. This differs from the majority of globular clusters that are more dominated by second-generation stars. The second-generation stars in NGC 5024 tend to be more concentrated in the core region. Overall, the stellar composition of cluster members is similar to members of the Milky Way halo.
Taken: May 12 & 29, 2021
Telescope: Astro-Tech 14” RC with Starizona Apex-ED L 0.65x focal reducer
Mount: Paramount ME II
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro (cooled to 0C; Gain 100) Bin 1×1.
Guiding: ZWO ASI290MM-Mini with ZWO Off-Axis Guider (OAG)
Focuser: Moonlite Nitecrawler
Rotator: Moonlite Nitecrawler
Filters used: Optolong L-Pro
Exposures: 40×180 seconds for a total exposure time of 2 hours; calibrated with 100 bias frames, 40 dark frames, 40 flat frames with 40 dark-flats.
Seeing Conditions:
Image capture and telescope control: Sequence Generator Pro and TheSkyX Pro
Processed with PixInsight, Photoshop CC 2021