Messier 92 is one of the brightest and oldest globular clusters in the Milky Way galaxy. It contains hundreds of thousands of stars packed tightly together in a spherical shape. The cluster is notable for its high concentration of stars towards its core and its relatively low metallicity, indicating its great age. Messier 92 is visible to the naked eye under very dark skies and is a popular target for amateur astronomers.
Names and Catalog numbers
– Messier 92
– NGC 6341
– Melotte 168
Position and the cosmic neighborhood
Messier 92 is located in the northern part of Hercules, near the constellation’s border with Draco. It lies about 16,000 light-years above the galactic plane and is part of the Milky Way’s halo. The cluster is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbor, Messier 13, which is located in the same constellation but is slightly brighter and larger.
Nice to Know
1. Messier 92 is one of the oldest known globular clusters, with an estimated age of about 14.2 billion years.
2. It was one of the first globular clusters in which individual stars were resolved, accomplished by William Herschel in 1783.
3. The cluster contains a high number of variable stars, including over 20 RR Lyrae variables.
4. Messier 92 will be close to the position of the celestial north pole in about 14,000 years due to the precession of Earth’s axis.
Brightness, distance and size
Messier 92 has an apparent magnitude of 6.4, making it visible to the naked eye under very dark skies. It is located approximately 26,700 light-years from Earth. The cluster has a spatial diameter of about 85 light-years and an apparent size of 14 arcminutes in the night sky. Its compact core and overall brightness make it an excellent target for astrophotography, even with modest equipment.
