Messier 71

Messier 71 (also known as M71, NGC 6838, or the Angelfish Cluster) is a globular cluster in the small northern constellation Sagitta. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of non-comet-like objects in 1780. It was also noted by Koehler at Dresden around 1775.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Messier 71 is also known as NGC 6839, though this identification is very uncertain.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

This star cluster is about 13,000 light years away from Earth and spans Template:Convert. The irregular variable star Z Sagittae is a member.<ref name="AAVSO" />

File:M71 Crop.png

The M71 globular cluster at the center is surrounded by a dense Milky Way star field.

M71 was for many decades thought (until the 1970s) to be a densely packed open cluster and was classified as such by leading astronomers in the field of star cluster research due to its lacking a dense central compression, and to its stars having more "metals" than is usual for an ancient globular cluster; furthermore, it lacks the RR Lyrae "cluster" variable stars that are common in most globulars. However, modern photometric photometry has detected a short "horizontal branch" in the H-R diagram (chart of temperature versus luminosity) which is characteristic of a globular cluster. The shortness of the branch explains the lack of RR Lyrae variables and is due to the globular's relatively young age of 9–10 billion years. Taking in many or only late series (Population I) stars explains relatively its stars. Hence today M71 is designated as a very loosely concentrated globular cluster, much like M68 in Hydra. M71 has a mass of about Template:Solar mass and a luminosity of around 19,000 Template:Lo.<ref name="Dalgleish"/>

File:M71map.png

Map showing location of M71

See also

• List of Messier objects
• NGC 6366
• NGC 6342

Gallery

• M71.jpg

  Till Credner and Sven Kohle, Calar Alto Observatory.

• M71 - Noao-m71.jpg

  M71 in visible light by the NOAO.

• NGC 6838 2MASS.jpg

  M71 in infrared by the survey 2MASS.

• NGC 6838 DSS.jpg

  M71 in visible light by the survey DSS.

External links

• Template:WikiSky
• Messier71 @ SEDS Messier pages
• Messier 71, Galactic Globular Clusters Database page
• Messier 71, LRGB CCD image based on two hours total exposure
• Messier 71: an Unusual Globular Cluster, ESA\Hubble picture of the week.
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