| Name | Jellyfish Cluster |
| Designation(s) | M30, NGC 7099, Jellyfish Cluster |
| Object Type(s) | Globular Cluster |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Messier, NGC |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Capricornus |
| Date and Time Observed | 2024-09-10 23:08:00 |
| Instrument | Seestar S50 f5.0-250mm FL |
| Camera | Built-in SONY IMX462 Sensor |
| Image Details | Total integration time was 10m. Exposures 10s. Darks subtracted, no flats.. |
| Description | Messier discovered this object himself (#16), recording it on August 3, 1764, noting, "It is round & contains no star". <--> Rated 15 and 16 among all Messier GCs for brightness and size, this is the first GC in the catalog that is below the median on both dimensions. Unusually for a GC, there are multiple, linear star patterns extending from the core, and extending well away from the core, giving it a distinctive appearance (presumably triggering the jellyfish nickname). While some "tendrils" appear to be red-giants, other lines are dominated by tiny blue stars. These are apparently newly formed out of energy derived from near collisions of older stars in the core. I was a few weeks late capturing this target, and it JUST clears the trees on my home, southern horizon. I'd forgotten that it was missing and fortunate I could point the Seestar at it when I realized it was still visible. |
| Catalog Links | |
