globular cluster

noun, Astronomy

a comparatively older, spherically symmetrical, compact group of up to a million old stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that are located in the galactic halo and move in giant and highly eccentric orbits around the galactic center.

Compare open cluster, stellar association.

Origin

1855-60

Examples from the web for globular cluster

The central object almost reminds me of viewing a globular cluster through a backyard telescope.
Singular stars shine strong in this infrared image of the same globular cluster.
Humans avoid extinction by transmitting their genome to a globular cluster, where it's picked up by starfish aliens.

British Dictionary definitions for globular cluster

globular cluster

noun

(astronomy) a densely populated spheroidal star cluster with the highest concentration of stars near its centre, found in the galactic halo and in other galaxies

globular cluster in Science

globular cluster

(glŏb'yə-lər)
A spherical mass made up of thousands to hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars of nearly the same age (typically very old). Globular clusters occupy the inner regions of a galactic halo and revolve around the nucleus of galaxies in highly elliptical orbits inclined to the disk of the spiral arms. There are approximately 150 of these clusters in the Milky Way. It is believed that globular clusters can provide information about the evolution and lifespan of stars. Compare open cluster.