From the National Optical Astronomical Observatories
M7 (NGC 6474) is an open star cluster in the constellation Scorpius, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Milky Way. M7 was known as early as the year 130 AD (CE), when it was mentioned by Ptolemy. At its (uncertain) distance is 800 to 1000 light years, M7's 80-odd stars are spread over some 20 light years and are in excess of 200 million years old. This color composite was created from CCD images taken at the Burrell Schmidt telescope of the Warner and Swasey Observatory of the Case Western Reserve University, located on Kitt Peak in southwestern Arizona.
Image Title: The Open Cluster M7
Credit: N.A.Sharp, REU program/AURA/NOAO/NSFF
The text is based on accompanying on-line materials.
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Last Modified On: Sunday, December 17, 2000