Messier 23, also known as NGC 6494, is an open cluster of stars in the northwest of the southern constellation of Sagittarius.[7] It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764.[a][3] It can be found in good conditions with binoculars or a modestly sized telescope.[3] It is in front of "an extensive gas and dust network", which there may be no inter-association.[4] It is within 5° the sun's position (namely in mid-December) so can be occulted by the moon.[8]
The cluster is centered about 2,050 light years away. Estimates for the number of its members range from 169[9] up to 414, with a directly-counted mass of 1,206 M☉; 1,332 M☉ by application of the virial theorem.[4] The cluster is around 330 million years old with a near-solar metallicity of [Fe/H] = −0.04.[5] The brightest component (lucida) is of magnitude 9.3.[10] Five of the cluster members are candidate red giants,[11] while orange variable VV Sgr in the far south,[b] is a candidate asymptotic giant branch star.[12]
A 6th-magnitude star, shown in the top-right corner, figures in the far north-west as a foreground star – HD 163245 (HR 6679). Its parallax shift is 9.8912±0.0518 mas, having taken into account proper motion, which means it is about 101 parsecs (330 ly) away.[13]
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^Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (August 2018). "Gaia Data Release 2: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 616. A1. arXiv:1804.09365. Bibcode:2018A&A...616A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833051. Gaia DR2 record for this source at VizieR.
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children to take up the sport." Messier was born in St. Albert, Alberta, the son of Mary-Jean (Dea) and Doug Messier. He was the second son and third...
of objects not to mistake for comets; Messier's list, including Messier 13, eventually became known as the Messier catalog. It is located at right ascension...
within include a yellow straggler component. Messier 93 atlas image Finder chart for M93 List of Messier objects Wu, Zhen-Yu; et al. (November 2009),...
The Messier objects are a set of 110 astronomical objects catalogued by the French astronomer Charles Messier in his Catalogue des Nébuleuses et des Amas...
Galaxy". In 1779, Pierre Méchain and Charles Messier reidentified Bode's object, hence listed it in the Messier Catalogue. The galaxy is to be found approximately...
of Messier objects Messier 91 Messier 95 Messier 109 M100 NGC 4536 The other barred spiral galaxies in Messier's catalogue are Messier 91, Messier 95...
Home". NASA. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023. List of Messier objects Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 4. M4, SEDS Messier pages M4, Galactic...
Messyness is an American comedy clip show that premiered on MTV on August 23, 2021. It is hosted by Nicole Polizzi and co-hosted by actress Tori Spelling...
first time. VISTA image of Messier 78. Spitzer image of Messier 78. Euclid image of star-forming region Messier 78 List of Messier objects "M 78". SIMBAD...
media related to Messier 9. Messier 9, SEDS Messier pages M9, Galactic Globular Clusters Database page The glittering stars of Messier 9, March 16, 2012...
discovery of a candidate SN in MESSIER 85 (17 Mpc). Retrieved 26 June 2020. "Messier 85". SEDS: Galaxy M85. Retrieved 23 February 2010. "SN 2020nlb". SIMBAD...
October 13, 1773, by Charles Messier while hunting for objects that could confuse comet hunters, and was designated in Messier's catalogue as M51. William...
communicated his discovery to Charles Messier, who subsequently listed the object in his catalog. Both Messier and William Herschel described this galaxy...
Messier 89 (M89 for short, also known as NGC 4552) is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by Charles Messier on March 18...
nearest months. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 55. Messier 55, SEDS Messier pages Messier 55, Galactic Globular Clusters Database page NASA...
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 87. Messier 87, SEDS Messier pages ESA/Hubble images of M87 Messier 87 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS...
Phecda (γ UMa, Gamma Ursa Majoris). Messier 109 was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. Two years later Charles Messier catalogued the object, as an appended...
80 pc above or below. As of January 2022, Messier 18 is one of the few remaining objects within the Messier Catalog to not have been photographed by the...
Barnaba Oriani on May 5, 1779, six days before Charles Messier discovered the same galaxy. Messier had observed it on the same night as Oriani but had mistaken...
Alphard. This grouping was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771, but there is no cluster precisely where Messier indicated; he made an error, as he did with...
Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-1-931559-23-2. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 41. Messier 41 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen...
Messier-Dowty part of the new Safran company. In May 2011, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty was formed through the merger of three Safran subsidiaries: Messier-Dowty...
February 2018. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 38. Messier 38, SEDS Messier pages Messier 38 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α...
on 31 August on 23 July Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 70. Messier 70, Galactic Globular Clusters Database page Messier 70 on WikiSky:...
doi:10.1088/0004-6256/139/2/476, hdl:2152/34371, S2CID 120965440. "Messier 5". SEDS Messier Catalog. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved...
| Hubble's Messier Catalog". Nasa.gov. Retrieved 23 January 2022. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Messier 6. Messier 6, SEDS Messier pages The Butterfly...