Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Ophiuchus (Oph)  ·  Contains:  M 12  ·  NGC 6218
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Messier 12: Gumball Globular Star Cluster, Sky Story
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Messier 12: Gumball Globular Star Cluster

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Messier 12: Gumball Globular Star Cluster, Sky Story
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Messier 12: Gumball Globular Star Cluster

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Description

The strangely named Gumball Globular Star Cluster is relatively close, as globular star clusters go, at just 16,400 light years away.  It is presently heading toward us at about 16/km per second, so no need to worry. On the scale of our galaxy, that is the pace of a snail starting toward us from the other side of the world.  Within the Gumball's compact 75 light year diameter, some 70,000 stars orbit round a central gravitational point.

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Messier 12: Gumball Globular Star Cluster, Sky Story