https://freerepublic.com/tag/m71/ en-us Wed, 10 Dec 2014 18:07:57 GMT Focus Forum 15 https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3235784/posts Explanation: Now known to be a globular star cluster at the tender age of 10 billion years, M71 is a mere 13,000 light-years away within the narrow boundaries of the faint constellation Sagitta. Close to the plane of the Milky Way galaxy in planet Earth's sky, its 10,000 or so member stars are gathered into a region about 27 light-years across near the center of this color composite view. In fact, the line-of-sight to M71 passes along the galactic plane through much intervening diffuse interstellar dust. The dust dims starlight and scatters blue light more efficiently, masking the brightness of... NASA https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3235784/posts#comment Wed, 10 Dec 2014 18:07:57 GMT