The first image shows a more distant image of the cluster, filled with blue stars. The next two images show Hubble closeups of some of the individual stars.

C96 (NGC 2516)

The image of Caldwell 96 (NGC 2516) at top is a ground-based image of the open cluster from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS). The orange and blue outlines in that image show the locations of Hubble’s observations of stars in the outskirts of the cluster taken with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2). The Hubble image on the left was taken in visible and infrared light. The Hubble image on the right includes ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light.

Credits: Ground-based image: Digitized Sky Survey; Hubble images: NASA, ESA, R. Griffiths (Carnegie Mellon University); S. Casertano (Space Telescope Science Institute), and J. MacKenty (Space Telescope Science Institute); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)