Deep Sky Objects :- Messier 10 & Messier 12
Published on 9 Jul 2010 at 00:00.
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Filed under Deaf Astronomical Societies,Deep Sky Objects.
Friday 9th July 2010 @ 23:00 / 11pm
Messier 10 (top) and Messier 12 (above)
Two Globular Clusters about three degrees apart, both are visible through binoculars – appearing about half the size of the Full Moon, although a telescope is needed to resolve individual stars.
M10 is the closer cluster to our Earth at 14,000 light-years, compared with 18,000 light-years for M12.
What is a light-year?
A light-year (ly) is a unit of distance that light can travel in one year. Light moves (travels) at a 186,500 miles per SECOND, not miles per hour! – so in one year, it can travel about 6 trillion miles.
More accurate clearly, one light year is equal to 5,937,500,000,000 miles. (nearly 6 trillions miles), so Messier 10 is 14,000 ly away from you, so is equal to 84,000 trillions miles away and 108,000 trillion miles for M12!
Find two Messiers (M10 & M12) are in the large constellation of Ophiuchus (The Serpent Holder), see the SkyMap from the British Deaf Astronomical Association’s Handbook 2010. (If you are interested to buy a BDAA Handbook 2010, please click here to order.)
Derekscope BSL Sign Video :- What is a light-year?
