Explore Clusters: Astronomical Wonders in the Sky

 This Hubble Space Telescope snapshot beautifully captures Messier 11, famously known as the Wild Duck Cluster. The cluster is a riveting spectacle, particularly during the new moon's darkened night skies, when astronomers have the opportunity to spot other objects from the Messier catalog through their backyard telescopes.

On the list, we have the Butterfly Cluster, also referred to as Messier 6 (M6). This open cluster of stars, found in the Scorpius constellation, is believed to have formed nearly simultaneously from the same collapsing clouds of gas and dust[2]. Scorpius also hosts other visible objects, including the Sagittarius Star Cloud or Messier 24 (M24) and Ptolemy's Cluster, also known as Messier 7 (M7).

Additionally, during these dark skies, astronomers can aim their telescopes towards Messier 39 (M39), a large open cluster situated 824 light-years away from Earth, visible in the Cygnus, the Swan constellation. The Cygnus constellation also houses Messier 29 (M29), also dubbed the Cooling Tower, an open cluster located approximately 7,200 light-years from Earth.

(Image credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, and P. Dobbie (University of Tasmania))