Messier 12 - The Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus

Messier 12 is a globular cluster in the constellation Opiuchus. Compared to other globular clusters, it is not densely packed with stars. Scientists think that the gravitational pull of the Milky Way has stripped this globular cluster of a lot of stars. It contains between 70,000 and 200,000 stars in total, which is a bit below average. Its diameter is around 75 light-years and it is estimated to be somewhere between 12 and 13 billion years old.

I captured this during a Messier Marathon I did in August 2025.