Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Scutum (Sct)  ·  Contains:  Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski  ·  M 11  ·  NGC 6705  ·  Wild Duck Cluster
Messier 11, the Wild Duck, John O'Neal, NC Stargazer
Messier 11, the Wild Duck
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Messier 11, the Wild Duck

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging
Messier 11, the Wild Duck, John O'Neal, NC Stargazer
Messier 11, the Wild Duck
Powered byPixInsight

Messier 11, the Wild Duck

Acquisition type: Lucky imaging

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Description

The Wild Duck Cluster (also known as Messier 11, or NGC 6705) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Scutum (the Shield). It was discovered by Gottfried Kirch in 1681. Charles Messier included it in his catalogue of diffuse objects in 1764. Its popular name derives from the brighter stars forming a triangle which could resemble a flying flock of ducks (or, from other angles, one swimming duck). The cluster is located just to the east of the Scutum Star Cloud midpoint.

The Wild Duck Cluster is one of the richest and most compact of the known open clusters. It is one of the most massive open clusters known, and it has been extensively studied. Its age has been estimated to about 316 million years. The core radius is 1.23 pc while the tidal radius is 29 pc.

The cluster is located 6.8 kpc from the galactic center, close to the galactic plane, and is not far from its birthplace.

Calibration

Center (RA, Dec): (282.801, -6.327)

Center (RA, hms): 18h 51m 12.199s

Center (Dec, dms): -06° 19' 38.405"

Size: 2.01 x 1.45 deg

Radius: 1.240 deg

Pixel scale: 3.54 arcsec/pixel

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Messier 11, the Wild Duck, John O'Neal, NC Stargazer

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