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About the image:
This is a true colour image of M13, also known as the Hercules Globular Star Cluster.
M13:
M13 is visually one of the largest globular star clusters found in the northern hemisphere and consists of several hundred thousand star, tightly packed into small area of space. It can be found in the constellation of Hercules.
M13 is about 145 light years in diameter and approximately 25,000 light years from earth and is just one of over 100 similar globular clusters that orbit the Milky Way core.
What is a glubular cluster? A Globular cluster is a tightly packed spherical collection of stars which are tightly bound to one another by gravity. They can be found in almost all galaxies and orbit the galaxy core, and mostly found in the outer galactic halo - they are not purely found on the normal galactic plane, but can be found high above the spiral arms of the galaxy they are in, sometimes 10's of thousands of light years from galactic plane. Where in the sky is it?
M13 can be found in the constellation of Hercules. (Click image to open full size)
