M3
Quick Summary
M3, also known as Messier 3, is a globular star cluster located in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is one of the most well-studied globular clusters, situated approximately 33,000 light-years from Earth. Globular clusters are ancient, densely packed collections of stars, containing thousands to hundreds of thousands of stars in a spherical form. M3 is notable for its large number of variable stars, with over 200 known, many of which are RR Lyrae variables. These stars are crucial for understanding stellar evolution and determining distances within our galaxy. M3 is also recognized for its metal-poor composition, characteristic of older stellar populations.1
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starPulsating stars…stars in the globular cluster M3 showed that all these stars fell within a narrow range of luminosity and colour (or surface temperature) or, equivalently, luminosity and radius. Also, every star falling in this narrow range of brightness and size was an RR Lyrae variable. Subsequent work has indicated that…
Read More…stars in the globular cluster M3 showed that all these stars fell within a narrow range of luminosity and colour (or surface temperature) or, equivalently, luminosity and radius. Also, every star falling in this narrow range of brightness and size was an RR Lyrae variable. Subsequent work has indicated that…
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star clusterGlobular clustersM3 in Canes Venatici, 33,000 light-years away, is the cluster second richest in variables, with well more than 200 known. Investigation of these variables resulted in the placement of the RR Lyrae stars in a special region of the colour-magnitude diagram.
Read MoreM3 in Canes Venatici, 33,000 light-years away, is the cluster second richest in variables, with well more than 200 known. Investigation of these variables resulted in the placement of the RR Lyrae stars in a special region of the colour-magnitude diagram.
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