Omega Centauri size and scale context

Omega Centauri is the Milky Way’s biggest globular cluster and one of the few such swarms visible to the naked eye. Its stars do not all share the same age or chemistry, which is one reason many astronomers suspect it may be the stripped core of a small galaxy rather than an ordinary cluster. Read its scale context, comparisons, and journey links on the canonical object page.

Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula·2.6 ly
Helix NebulaPlanetary nebula·5.6 ly
Crab NebulaSupernova remnant·11 ly
Orion NebulaEmission nebula·24 ly
Eagle NebulaEmission nebula·70 ly
Omega CentauriGlobular cluster·150 ly
Carina NebulaStar-forming nebula·300 ly

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