Spaceimages - Astrofotografie by Jens Zippel

Messier 3 (M3 or NGC 5272) is a galactic globular cluster in the constellation Canes Venatici in the northern starry sky.

Please click on the image for a bigger view.

Object:	M3 Globular Cluster
Date of exposures:	23.03.2022
Distance:	34.000 Lightyears
Exposures:	L: 60 x 180 Sec., RGB: 81 x 180 Sec., Sum: 7,05 hrs.
Telescope:	10'', F4 Newton
Focal length:	1000 mm
Camera:	ASI 1600 MMC Pro
Guiding:	Off Axis Guider, Lodestar
Mount:	EQ8

It is about 34,000 light-years away from the solar system, has a diameter of about 125 light-years and is a very large globular cluster with half a million stars. The cluster contains with 212 variable stars (170 of them RR Lyrae stars) the largest number of this star class in our galaxy. Out of 186 stars one period could be determined.

The object was discovered by Charles Messier on May 3, 1764 and listed by him in his catalog as the third object. In the New General Catalogue (NGC) it has the number 5272.

<<