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Messier 80, a globular cluster

A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galaxy core as a satellite. They are tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shape and relatively high stellar density towards their core. There are more than 150 known globular clusters in the Milky Way, with perhaps many more undiscovered. Large galaxies can have more: Andromeda, for instance, may have as many as 500. Some giant elliptical galaxies, such as M87, may have as many as 10,000 globular clusters. These globular clusters orbit the galaxy out to large radii, 40,000 parsecs or more. Every galaxy of sufficient mass in the Local Group and almost every large galaxy surveyed has an associated system of globular clusters. The Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy and Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy both appear to be in the process of donating their associated globular clusters to the Milky Way, such as Palomar 12. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Brewer Hicklen in 2022

... that Brewer Hicklen (pictured) hosts an annual youth baseball camp in Alabama?
... that the Irish Bee Conservation Project is helping to rewild native bees with bee lodges on the estate of the historic Dunsany Castle?
... that American drag queen James Herndon donated funds and resources into black and LGBTQ+ communities in Lexington, Kentucky?
... that Mess L, a multipurpose building in Banjarbaru, Indonesia, was historically used to house Soviet workers?
... that American conservationist Paul Lester Errington reshaped perception of predators?
... that the 1983 pink film Beautiful Mystery was one of the earliest commercially produced gay pornographic films in Japan?
... that Charles Leslie Richardson was ordered to "make science fashionable in the army"?
... that the 19th Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held on 19 December with 19 participating countries – but the EBU had to choose between three competition scenarios due to COVID-19?

In the news

Shinzo Abe

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe (pictured) is assassinated while giving a speech in Nara.
Boris Johnson announces his intention to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The Fields Medal for accomplishments in mathematics is awarded to Hugo Duminil-Copin, June Huh, James Maynard and Maryna Viazovska.

On this day

July 10: Independence Day in the Bahamas (1973)

A6M Zero discovered on Akutan Island

1372 – The Treaty of Tagilde was signed between Ferdinand I of Portugal and representatives of John of Gaunt of England, marking the beginning of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, which remains in effect today.
1645 – English Civil War: The Parliamentarians destroyed the last Royalist field army at the Battle of Langport, ultimately giving Parliament control of the west of England.
1942 – An American naval aviator discovered a downed Mitsubishi A6M Zero (pictured) on Akutan Island, Alaska, which was later rebuilt and flown to devise tactics against that type of aircraft.
2011 – The last edition of the British tabloid News of the World was published, closing due to allegations that it hacked the voicemails of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, victims of the 7/7 attacks and relatives of deceased British soldiers.

Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey (b. 1614)
Paul Morphy (d. 1884)
Berthe Meijer (d. 2012)

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Today's featured picture

The African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) is a wading bird and a species of ibis, of the family Threskiornithidae. The bird, native to Africa and the Middle East, is especially known for its role in the religion of the ancient Egyptians, where it was linked to the god Thoth. Visually, the African sacred ibis has an all-white body plumage, apart from the dark plumes on the rump. This African sacred ibis was photographed in Lake Ziway, Ethiopia.

Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp

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