Messier 79

Also known as M79, New General Catalogue 1904

globular cluster in the constellation Lepus

Key facts

Class: V
Constellation: Lepus
Right ascension: 05 24 10.59
Declination: −24 ° 31 ′ 27.3 ″
Distance: 12.9 kpc (42 kly )
Apparent dimensions v: 8.7'
Radius: 53 ly
Metallicity: [ Fe/H ] = –1.55 dex
Estimated age: 11.7 Gyr
Other designations: M79, NGC 1904, GCl 10, Melotte 34

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Wikidata facts

Distance from Earth: 0.013
Radius: 59
Image: A snowstorm of stars.jpg

Show 11 more facts

radial velocity: 209
time of discovery or invention: 1780-10-26
Commons category: Messier 79
catalog code: [KPS2012] MWSC 0528
absolute magnitude: -7.86
apparent magnitude: 8.178
metallicity: -1.58
right ascension: 81.044125
declination: -24.524250
right ascension component of proper motion: 0.20
declination component of proper motion: 1.13

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Article

Messier 79 (also known as M79 or NGC 1904) is a globular cluster in the southern constellation Lepus. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and is about 42,000 light-years away from Earth and 60,000 light years from the Galactic Center.

Like Messier 54 (the other extragalactic globular on Messier's list), it is believed to not be native to the Milky Way galaxy at all, but instead to the putative Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy, which is currently experiencing a very close encounter with our galaxy. This is, however, a contentious subject as astronomers are still debating the nature of the Canis Major dwarf galaxy itself. Messier 79 may also be part of the Gaia Sausage.