Hercules Cluster

Hercules Cluster — star cluster, explore its interactive 3D model in Cosmoscope.

Explore Hercules Cluster in an interactive 3D view of space. See its catalogue position, distance and astronomical facts.

A third of a million ancient stars packed into a ball — some nearly as old as the universe itself, orbiting the galaxy far above its disc.

Type

Globular cluster

Distance

22,200 light-years

Stars

~300,000

Age

~11.6 billion years

Note

Target of the 1974 Arecibo message

Explore Hercules Cluster in 3D

Hercules Cluster is placed in three-dimensional space using catalogue coordinates and an adopted astronomical distance. Rotate and zoom to explore the model. Stellar surfaces, gas structure and dust depths may be reconstructed or illustrative, as described in its facts; this is not live imagery from a telescope.