Globular clusters seen by Hubble and from the ground

This collage shows a range of globular clusters, which were studied using Hubble and the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile. The data show that, despite all forming at roughly the same time, the clusters have aged at dramatically different rates, with heavier stars sinking to the centres of the clusters in a process similar to sedimentation.

Top row: Messier 4 (ESO), Omega Centauri (ESO), Messier 80 (Hubble)
Middle row: Messier 53 (Hubble), NGC 6752 (Hubble), Messier 13 (Hubble)
Bottom row: Messier 4 (Hubble), NGC 288 (Hubble), 47 Tucanae (Hubble)

Credit:

M 4: ESO.
Omega Cen: ESO/INAF-VST/OmegaCAM.
M 80: The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI/NASA/ESA).
M 53: ESA/Hubble & NASA.
NGC 6752: ESA/Hubble & NASA.
M 13: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA).
M 4: ESA/Hubble & NASA.
NGC 288: ESA/Hubble & NASA.
47 Tuc: NASA, ESA, and G. Meylan (��cole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne).

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