Messier 107

Messier 107

M107 from Hubble Space Telescope; 3.5′ view
Credit: NASA/STScI/WikiSky
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Class X[1]
Right ascension 16h 32m 31.86s[2]
Declination –13° 03′ 13.6″[2]
Distance 20.9 kly (6.4 kpc)[3]
Apparent magnitude (V) +8.85[4]
Apparent dimensions (V) 13′.0
Physical characteristics
Mass 1.82×105[3] M☉
Radius 39.5 ly[5]
Metallicity  = –0.95[6] dex
Estimated age 13.95 Gyr[6]
Other designations NGC 6171, GCl 44[4]

Globular Cluster M107 (also known as Messier Object 107 or NGC 6171) is the last globular cluster in the Messier Catalogue. It is a very loose globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in April 1782 and independently by William Herschel in 1793. It wasn't until 1947 that Helen Sawyer Hogg added it and three other objects discovered by Méchain to the list of Messier objects.

M107 is close to the galactic plane at a distance of about 20,900 light-years from Earth.[3] There are 25 known variable stars in this cluster.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Shapley, Harlow; Sawyer, Helen B. (August 1927), "A Classification of Globular Clusters", Harvard College Observatory Bulletin (849): 11–14, Bibcode:1927BHarO.849...11S.
  2. 1 2 Goldsbury, Ryan; et al. (December 2010), "The ACS Survey of Galactic Globular Clusters. X. New Determinations of Centers for 65 Clusters", The Astronomical Journal, 140 (6): 1830–1837, Bibcode:2010AJ....140.1830G, arXiv:1008.2755 Freely accessible, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1830.
  3. 1 2 3 Boyles, J.; et al. (November 2011), "Young Radio Pulsars in Galactic Globular Clusters", The Astrophysical Journal, 742 (1): 51, Bibcode:2011ApJ...742...51B, arXiv:1108.4402 Freely accessible, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/742/1/51.
  4. 1 2 "SIMBAD Astronomical Object Database". Results for NGC 6171. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
  5. ↑ distance × sin( diameter_angle / 2 )=39.5 ly. radius
  6. 1 2 Forbes, Duncan A.; Bridges, Terry (May 2010), "Accreted versus in situ Milky Way globular clusters", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 404 (3): 1203–1214, Bibcode:2010MNRAS.404.1203F, arXiv:1001.4289 Freely accessible, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16373.x.

Coordinates: 16h 32m 31.91s, −13° 03′ 13.1″

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