My Astrophotography – Messier 3 (M3)

Messier 3 (Globular Cluster) / NGC 5272

• Hubble images reveal a large population of blue stragglers ~ stars that look young but are actually old stars that gained mass, likely by merging or stripping material from companions.
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• They’re perfect for outreach analogies about stellar evolution.
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• One of the brightest and best-known globular clusters visible from the Northern Hemisphere.
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• M3 Globular Cluster ~ it’s easy to find with binoculars or small telescopes.
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• Object Name
  M3

• Object Type
  Globular Cluster

• Constellation
  Canes Venatici

• Magnitude
  +6.4

• Distance
  33,900 light-years

• Age
  6.5 billion years old

Telescope:

Mount:

Accessories:

Sky-Watcher Esprint 80ED Triplet

Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 GT

ZWO ASIair Plus / PixInsight

Camera:

Guiding:

Filter:

ZWO ASI585MC Pro cooling

ZWO ASI1200MM

2″ Optolong eNchance

• Date:
  Wednesday 24th September 2025
  

• Moonlit:
  Waxing Crescent 3 days old
  Magnitude: -9.8
  Moonlit: 7.8%

• Total:
  180’s x 10 subs = 30 minutes

Object :-

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Object :-

Other name :-

Type :-

Magnitude :–

Distance :-

Constellation :-

Right Ascension :-

Declination :-

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M3

NGC 5272

Globular Cluster

+6.4

33,900 light years / 180 light years across

CVn (Canes Venatici / The Hunting Dogs)

13h 42m 12s

+28° 22′ 38″

Enlarge on click the map.

(Click the map above for a large view.)