Messier 21

Messier 21 or M21 (also designated NGC 6531) is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered and catalogued by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764.

M21 is a relatively young cluster of a mere 4.6 million years of age. It is tightly packed but contains about 57 stars. A few blue giant stars have been identified in the cluster, but Messier 21 is composed mainly of small dim stars. With a magnitude of 6.5, M21 is not visible to the naked eye; however, with the smallest binoculars it can be easily spotted on a dark night.

External links

  • Messier 21, SEDS Messier pages
  • Messier 21 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
  • Coordinates: 18h 04m 36s, −22° 30′ 00″

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    Bulldogs a perfect future fit for Cornell's Messier

    Duluth News Tribune 21 Mar 2025
    Messier didn’t get to play hockey her first year at Cornell in 2020-21 when the entire Ivy League canceled athletics because of the COVID-19 pandemic ... Messier entered the transfer portal in the fall before Cornell’s season even began.
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