Globular Cluster M12 (also known as Messier Object 12 or NGC 6218) is a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by Charles Messier on May 30, 1764.

Located roughly 3° from the cluster M10, M12 is about 16,000 light years distant and has a spatial diameter of 75 light years. The brightest stars of M12 are of 12th magnitude. It is rather loosely packed for a globular and M12 was once thought to be a tightly concentrated open cluster. 13 variable stars have been recorded in this cluster.

A study published in 2006 concluded that this cluster lost about one million stars of low mass, and therefore has an unusually low number of such stars. The authors surmise that they were stripped from the cluster by the gravitational influence of the Milky Way.

External links

• Messier 12, SEDS Messier pages
• 'Stolen' stars article at Universe Today

Globular clusters | Messier objects | NGC objects | Ophiuchus constellation

Messier 12 | Cúmulo globular M12 | M12 | M12 | Messier 12 | M12 | Messier 12 | Шаровое скопление М12 | Hviezdokopa M12 | Messier 12 | M12