The name definitely suits this picture. It is a breathtaking view of an open star cluster (Kappa Crucis), and makes you think about how minuscule we really are compared to the rest of the universe. These stars look so dense and small, but in reality they span about 20 light years across and are found an incredible 6,400 light years away from Earth. This is a relatively young cluster, at 10 million years old. Its age is one reason it is dominated mostly by blue stars. There is one red supergiant in the middle of the picture. It is important to study open star clusters, because the stars in a cluster have very similar properties, including age, composition, and distance from Earth, however, the masses vary widely. I was surprised to learn that the cluster was discovered in the early 1750's, because what people can do with limited technology is unimaginable. It is one of the youngest known clusters and is located within the constellation Crux.
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