The Hercules Globular Cluster, known as M13 or Messier 13, is one of the most prominent and brightest globular clusters in the northern sky. Located about 22,200 light-years away in the constellation Hercules, M13 spans approximately 145 light-years in diameter and contains several hundred thousand stars bound tightly by gravity. Estimated to be around 11.65 billion years old, this cluster is home to ancient stars that formed early in the universe's history. With a visual magnitude of 5.8, M13 is faintly visible to the naked eye in very dark skies and appears as a dense, sparkling ball of stars through telescopes, making it a popular target for amateur astronomers.
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