| Description | Messier discovered this object himself (#16), recording it on August 3, 1764, noting, "It is round & contains no star". <--> Rated 15 and 16 among all Messier GCs for brightness and size, this is the first GC in the catalog that is below the median on both dimensions. Unusually for a GC, there are multiple, linear star patterns extending from the core, and extending well away from the core, giving it a distinctive appearance (presumably triggering the jellyfish nickname). While some "tendrils" appear to be red-giants, other lines are dominated by tiny blue stars. These are apparently newly formed out of energy derived from near collisions of older stars in the core. I was a few weeks late capturing this target, and it JUST clears the trees on my home, southern horizon. I'd forgotten that it was missing and fortunate I could point the Seestar at it when I realized it was still visible. |
