Hercules Cluster
Related Category: Astronomy: General
giant globular star cluster in the northern constellation Hercules; cataloged as M13 or NGC 6205.
Hercules cluster
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Hercules Cluster
An unsymmetrical cluster of about 75 bright galaxies (z = 0.036) of which about half are spiral or irregular and about half elliptical or 50. It contains a rather large number of disturbed and peculiar galaxies.
Great Hercules Cluster was discovered by Halley in 1714 and Messier observed it on June 1, 1764. Approx. 23,400 ly distant and 160 ly in diameter, it contains more than 1 million stars.
The Hercules cluster is a poor cluster with less than a hundred galaxies.
Courtesy of NOAO/AURA/NSF ...
Also known as the Hercules cluster, M13 is perhaps the finest and most well known globular cluster in the Northern hemisphere. It originally was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714.
This is the brightest of the Hercules clusters, but it is also scattered and poor with only 6 or 7 stars spread over half-a-degree. I could see a hint of this cluster in my 9 x 60 finder scope.
Notable galaxy clusters in the relatively nearby universe include the Virgo cluster, Hercules Cluster, and the Coma Cluster.
One of the most beautiful globular clusters in the sky is M13, the famous Hercules Cluster. To the naked eye it is visible as a star of 4th mag. In smaller telescopes it appears as a misty patch being more dense towards the center.
Globular cluster M13 is located in this area. M13 known as the Hercules cluster is regarded as the best globular cluster for viewing in the northern hemisphere.
The merging galaxies, which appear to wrap their spiral arms around each other, are known as Arp 272. They are about 450 million light-years away, and form part of the Hercules Cluster of galaxies. [NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)/K.
lines), believed to be a star in the very early stages of evolution. All known Herbig-Haro objects have been found within the boundaries of dark clouds. They are strong infrared sources and are characterized by mass loss. [H76]
Hercules Cluster ...
They are not galaxies themselves, but they are gravitationally bound to their "parent" galaxy. Many astrophysicists believe globular clusters are remnants of galaxy formation. Examples, the Great Hercules Cluster (M13) and Omega Centauri.
The Hercules cluster is of this form; another example is Centauri, in which over 6000 stars have been counted, comprised within a circle of about 40' diameter. These clusters present many unsolved problems.
 See also: Cluster, Hercules, Telescope, Clusters, Globular Cluster
  
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