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M2 is a globular cluster in the constellation Aquarius. Like other globular clusters, it is essentially an island of numerous suns that formed at a similar time, about 13 billion years ago at the time of the formation of our galaxy. Globular clusters orbit at the periphery of our galaxy, with about a hundred of them scattered around the Milky Way galaxy. Containing 150 thousand stars within a diameter of 175 light years, M2 is one of the more compact globular clusters.If you lived around one of the stars near the center, thousands of nearby stars would brightly illuminate your "night skies”!
Globular Cluster M2 in lies at a distance of 37,000 light years The brightest individual stars are red and yellow giants, many of which can be identified on this image. Originally discovered by Maraldi in 1746, M2 was rediscovered by Charles Messier fourteen years later, and became the second entry of comet-like objects in Messier's famous catalog.
This image combined 70 minutes of luminance exposures with RGB exposures of 20, 20, and 40 minutes. An ST10XME camera acquired the image through a Celestron 8" telescope. |
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