Messier 13 is a Globular Cluster of 300,000 stars in the constellation of Hercules. Its 25,100 light years away, 145 light years in diameter and 11.65 billion years old.
In 1974 a radio wave message, directed at the cluster was sent from the Arecibo Observatory. The message contained information such as details about the Human Race, DNA, Atomic numbers and Earth's position. The message will take 25,100 years to get there and if any one lives there it will take 25,100 years to get back. We already know of 15 stars in this cluster which have orbiting planets, so you never know.
You may notice that there is a small galaxy in the bottom left of the image. Its called NGC 6207 and its only small because its so far away at a distance of 30 million light years.
So when you look at this amazing cluster of stars, its relatively close to us but where is it?
This is where it is within the constellation of Hercules.
The Stars in the constellation are only a few hundred light years away but M13 is much further away at 250,100 light years away.
All of the stars in the image are within the disk of our own galaxy. However, clusters are often positioned just above or below.
M13 is no exception.
This diagram below courtesy of thinkastronomy.com shows where we are in relation to M13 and our position in our galaxy the milky way.
http://www.thinkastronomy.com/M13/common/download.html
My image was made from 27 x 2 minute exposures combined with 41 darks, 21 flats and 20 bias frames. Camera was an astro modded Canon 40d without LP filter. Phd2 guiding was used and for the first time I successfully used Astro Tortilla to plate solve rather than aligning the scope to three stars.
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