My observation:

Taken: 4 May 2024 at 1:51AM EST

Equipment: Unistellar Equinox2

General Information:

  • Messier Designation: M13
  • Type: Globular Cluster
  • Distance from Earth: 22,000 light years

M13 Hercules is a globular cluster that is located in the constellation Hercules, visible in the northern sky. It contains hundreds of thousands of stars that are densely packed in a spherical shape, with the cluster covering an area of about 145 light-years in diameter. Discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714, M13 Hercules is considered one of the most prominent and best known globular clusters, seen with a telescope from earth due to its proximity at about 22,200 light-years away. The stars within it are believed to be extremely old, estimated at around 11.65 billion years, with tightly gravitational interaction, leading to high rate of stellar interactions and collisions. This cluster is a popular target for both professional and amateur astronomers due to its size, brightness, and the myriad of stars present.

Additional Details from NASA:

Messier 13 (The Hercules Cluster) - NASA Science

Hubble Image:

Bonus photo: Hercules … with a few photobombing satellites!