Messier 3 (M3, also classified as NGC 5272) is a
globular cluster consisting of around 1/2 million stars, located in the northern
constellation of
Canes Venatici. It was discovered on May 3, 1764, and was the first Messier object to be discovered by
Charles Messier himself. Messier originally mistook the object for a nebula without stars. This mistake was corrected after the stars were resolved by
William Herschel around 1784. Since then, it has become one of the best-studied globular clusters.
The cluster, which is estimated to be around 11.4 billion years old, is located approximately 33,000 light-years from Earth and lies ~31.6 kly above the Galactic plane. It contains 274 known variable stars, the highest number of any globular cluster.
Source: Wikipeda
Data acquired using telescope T1, Alnitak Remote Observatories, Nerpio, Spain
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