Editing Messier 2 (section)

==Characteristics==
[[File:M2map.png|thumb|left|Chart showing location of M2]]
M2 is about 55,000 [[light-year]]s distant from [[Earth]]. At 175 light-years in diameter, it is one of the larger globular clusters known. The cluster is rich, compact, and significantly [[Ellipse|elliptical]]. It is 12.5 billion years old and one of the older globular clusters associated with the [[Milky Way]] galaxy.<ref name="mf2009" />

M2 contains about 150,000 stars, including 21 known [[variable stars]].  Its brightest stars are [[red giant|red]] and [[yellow giant]] stars.  The overall [[stellar classification|spectral type]] is F4.<ref name="simbad" />
M2 is part of the [[Gaia Sausage]], the hypothesized remains of a merged dwarf galaxy.<ref name=myeong2018/>

Data from ''[[Gaia (spacecraft)|Gaia]]'' has led to the discovery of an extended tidal [[stellar stream]], about 45 degrees long and 300 light-years (100 pc) wide, that is likely associated with M2. It was possibly perturbed due to the presence of the [[Large Magellanic Cloud]].<ref name=grillmair2022/>

Messier 2 is located within our Milky Way galaxy, and is one of the oldest clusters of stars designated to the Milky Way. Like most globular clusters, M2 is found within the [[galactic halo]], specifically in the southern galactic cap. This places it right below the southern pole of the Milky Way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=M2, NGC 7089 |url=https://www.noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-m2/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=noirlab.edu |language=en}}</ref>