AI Insight
NASA released an image of the globular cluster NGC 6723, nicknamed the Chandelier Cluster, located 27,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. This cluster contains some of the oldest stars in our galaxy, with ages often exceeding 10 billion years, making them nearly as old as the universe itself. Astronomers believe globular clusters like NGC 6723 were among the first structures to form in our galaxy, potentially billions of years before the galactic disk containing our Sun.
Why it matters
Understanding globular clusters helps astronomers study the early formation and evolution of our galaxy, providing insights into the conditions and processes that existed in the early universe. These ancient stellar populations serve as cosmic laboratories for testing theories about stellar evolution and galactic structure formation.
Understand the Science
This image released on June 26, 2026, features the globular cluster NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster. Like its namesake, it sparkles with countless lights. However, each ‘lightbulb’ in this chandelier is an individual star 27,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius (the Archer).
Globular clusters like NGC 6723 contain some of the oldest stars in our galaxy. These clusters have ages that often exceed 10 billion years old, and some are nearly as old as the universe itself. Astronomers think globular clusters are some of the first structures that formed in our galaxy, coalescing potentially billions of years before the thin disk of stars in which our Sun orbits. The details of how globular clusters formed, however, are not yet certain.
Learn more about the Chandelier Cluster.
Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto
Source: Starry Chandelier Cluster