You will need to locate yourself well away from city lights at a dark sky location to have the best chance of seeing this splendid object with your naked eye.
Start by locating the bright star Beta Centauri. Along with Alpha Centauri, Beta is one of the two ‘‘pointer’’ stars showing the way to the Southern Cross. Then look for the star Epsilon Centauri. Epsilon is roughly halfway between Omega Centauri and Beta. If you’re having trouble locating the cluster, a good pair of binoculars or a telescope will help.
But what makes Omega Centauri particularly interesting to astronomers is its unusual properties. Unlike most globular clusters, which contain stars of a similar age and composition, Omega Centauri has a wide range of ages and chemical compositions. Some of its stars are thought to be over 12billion years old, while others are only a few billion years old. This suggests that Omega Centauri may not be an actual globular cluster but rather the remnant of a small galaxy that the Milky Way absorbed billions of years ago.
In addition to its scientific significance, Omega Centauri is simply a beautiful object to behold.
Its bright, tightly packed stars create a stunning visual display that will impress even the most jaded stargazer. So if you find yourself outside after dark this week, take some time to seek out Omega Centauri. You won’t be disappointed.
