Messier 55
A low-metallicity globular cluster in southern Sagittarius.
Messier 55 (NGC 6809, Specter Cluster) is a globular cluster in southern Sagittarius. Discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752 from what is now South Africa, it was catalogued by Charles Messier in 1778. The cluster lies about 17,600 light-years from Earth and contains roughly 269,000 solar masses. Its metallicity is low, with an iron abundance 1.1% that of the Sun.
Quick Facts
- Constellation
- Sagittarius
- Age
- 12.3 Gyr
- Names
- M55
- NGC 6809
- GCl 113
- C 1936-310
Facts from the source article.
More in Messier Objects: Globular Clusters
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced
Comments
Loading…