🌌 Messier 55 – A Glowing Ancient Star Cluster in the Milky Way

Messier 55 (M55), also known as NGC 6809, is a globular cluster located in the constellation Sagittarius. This stunning object contains around 100,000 tightly packed ancient stars, all held together by gravity.

🪐 Quick Facts About M55:

  • 🔭 Discovered by: Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1752)
  • 🌌 Distance from Earth: ~17,600 light-years
  • 🌟 Diameter: About 100 light-years across
  • 🏞️ Location: Constellation Sagittarius
  • ⏳ Age: Estimated to be over 12 billion years old!

✨ Why is M55 Special?

  • It's one of the largest and brightest globular clusters visible in the southern sky.
  • M55 has a loose structure, making its stars more individually visible compared to other dense clusters.
  • It’s a fossil relic of the early Milky Way, offering clues to the galaxy’s ancient history.

📸 Want to See It?

Check out this beautiful image of Messier 55 captured by telescopes:

🔭 Star Charts

  • 🧭 This star chart for M55 represents the view from mid-southern latitudes for the given month and time.
  • 🧭 This star chart for M55 also represents the view from mid-northern latitudes for the given month and time.

🧠 Did You Know?

Some of the stars in M55 are among the oldest known in the universe, shining for more than 12 billion years — long before Earth even existed!

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