Messier Gallery

---

M71 (NGC 6838), an 8th-magnitude globular cluster in Sagitta.

M71 is an atypical globular. It does not appear to have a central condensation, and is classified instead by some astronomers as a dense galactic cluster. It has other properties inconsistent with globulars -- e.g. it seems to lack variable stars, and spectral analysis indicates it has metal-rich stars, implying a fairly young age.

Return to OCA Image Gallery Index | Return to OCA Home Page