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  1. ClassV
    ConstellationHercules

    Messier 13 - Wikipedia

    • Messier 13 or M13 (also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, the Hercules Globular Cluster, or the Great Hercules Cluster), is a globular cluster of several hundred thousand stars in the constellation of Hercules. See more

    Discovery and visibility

    Messier 13 was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714, and cataloged by Charles Messier on June 1, 1764, into his list of objects not to mistake for comets; Messier's list, including Messier 13, eventually became kn… See more

    Characteristics

    About 145 light-years in diameter, M13 is composed of several hundred thousand stars, with estimates varying from around 300,000 to over half a million. The brightest star in the cluster is a red giant, the variable star V11, … See more

    Arecibo message

    The 1974 Arecibo message, which contained encoded information about the human race, DNA, atomic numbers, Earth's position and other information, was beamed from the Arecibo Observatory radio telescope t… See more

    Literary references

    • The science fiction novellas "Sucker Bait" by Isaac Asimov and the novel Question and Answer by Poul Anderson take place on Troas, a world within M13.
    • In the German science fiction series Perry Rhodan, M13 is the locatio… See more

    Gallery

    • M13 is in the "armpit" of the constellation Hercules.
    • Heart of the Hercules Globular Cluster, Hubble image
    • Hubble images comparing M13 and M3See more

     
  1. Messier 13 (The Hercules Cluster) - Science@NASA

    Like shiny flakes sparkling in a snow globe, over 100,000 stars whirl within the globular cluster M13, one of the brightest star clusters visible from the Northern Hemisphere.

  2. Meet M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules - EarthSky

  3. Messier 13: The Great Hercules Cluster - Astro_Observer

  4. Messier 13 (M13) - The Great Hercules Cluster

    May 9, 2016 · Located some 25,100 light-years away from Earth, this cluster is made up of 300,000 stars and occupies a region of space that measures 145 light-years in diameter. Given its sheer size and its ...

  5. Messier 13 - The Great Hercules Globular Cluster

    Dec 17, 2023 · Discovered in 1714 by the astronomer Edmond Halley, the globular cluster Messier 13 is situated some 25100 light years from earth in the constellation of Hercules and is said to be the most spectacular globular …

  6. Hercules Cluster tonight: How to see the spectacular …

    Hercules Cluster tonight: How to see the spectacular Messier 13 stars - BBC Science Focus Magazine.

  7. M13 - The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

    The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules known as M13 is often described as the finest globular cluster in the Northern Hemisphere. Cataloged as Messier 13 or NGC 6205, this impressive star cluster in Hercules is a superb choice for deep …

  8. Zero-in on Messier 13, the great Hercules globular

    Jun 7, 2022 · It’s universally considered as the finest globular cluster in the northern sky and is one of the Go-To objects in the late-spring to early summer sky. Messier 13 lies on the western side of Hercules’ distinctive ‘Keystone’ …

  9. Messier 13 - Great Globular Cluster in Hercules - AstroBin

    Jun 18, 2020 · Messier 13 or M13 is the brightest and largest globular cluster visible from the Northern Hemisphere. It was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714 and cataloged by Charles Messier in 1764. With an apparent magnitude …