Could there be life in a globular cluster?
Last updated: May 27, 2022
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A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbit a common center. There are about 150 known globular clusters in our Milky Way galaxy. These clusters are thought to be some of the oldest structures in our galaxy, and are believed to have formed about 10 billion years ago.
The stars in a globular cluster are very tightly packed together. In fact, the average distance between stars in a globular cluster is only about a light-year. This is in contrast to our own Sun, which is about 26,000 light-years away from the nearest star.
The close proximity of the stars in a globular cluster creates a unique environment. The gravitational forces between the stars are much stronger than in other parts of our galaxy. This means that any planets orbiting these stars would be subject to extreme conditions, such as intense stellar radiation and frequent stellar collisions.
The conditions in a globular cluster are thought to be too hostile for life to exist. However, there is some evidence that suggests that life could exist in these clusters. For example, a recent study found that a type of bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans is able to survive in environments that are similar to those found in a globular cluster.
The study found that this bacteria is able to withstand extreme levels of radiation and can even repair its own DNA when it is damaged. This suggests that life could potentially exist in a globular cluster, but it would need to be very different from any life that we know of today.
Is a globular cluster bigger than a galaxy?
A globular cluster is much bigger than a galaxy. Globular clusters are collections of stars that orbit around a central mass like a planet does around the sun. Galaxies are made up of billions of stars and are much smaller than globular clusters.