Messier 4

cluster

Messier 4 — the nearest globular cluster to the Sun, only ~7,200 light-years away in Scorpius near the bright star Antares. Hubble found ancient white dwarfs and a planet orbiting a pulsar–white-dwarf pair here.

Open in 3D viewSee Messier 4 in the live, interactive 3D map

Science

Classification

Type: Globular star cluster
Distance: ~7,200 light-years · the closest globular to us
Diameter: ~75 light-years
Age: ~12.2 billion years
Notable: Hosts a pulsar planet & ancient white dwarfs

How we know

Note: A real ESO image at M4's real position; ~75 ly across, shown enlarged as a marker, as seen from Earth.

Discovery & history

Name: Messier's 4th catalogue entry.

Discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745; the first globular Charles Messier resolved into individual stars.

Images

Messier 4 — the nearest globular cluster to the Sun (ESO) — ESO (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Images from open archives · credit shown per image