m53

	M53

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	RA: 12:12.9 Dec: +18:10 Magnitude: 7.7 Size: 12.6 arc min Distance: 59,700 ly Constellation: Coma Berenices	Scope: 8" SCT at f/10 Autoguider: ST-4 faint mode Sky conditions: average seeing and above average transparency. Camera: Hap Griffin modified Canon 350XT @ 800 Exposure: 10 x 2 minutes Date: April 17, 2010
	Comments: Low was in the mid 30's. Globular star cluster M53 is one of the more outlying globulars, being about 60,000 light years away from the Galactic center, and almost the same distance (about 58,000 light years) from out Solar system. Its was discovered by Johann Elert Bode on February 3, 1775. As in all globular clusters, the stars of M53 are apparently "metal-poor", which means that they contain only little quantities of elements heavier than helium (actually mainly elements like carbon and oxygen); those of M53 are even below the average globular cluster members in "metallicity". It contains the considerably respectable number of 47 known RR Lyrae variables.