Messier 13 - The Great Hercules Cluster

Messier 13, also known as the Great Hercules Cluster, holds a special place for me because it was the very first star cluster I ever photographed. Back then, I used my old Omegon telescope and struggled to bring out the colors of the stars clearly. Despite my best efforts, the result was far from what I had hoped for.

Now, with a better camera and my Askar 103APO telescope, I decided to revisit this object. This time, the improvements really paid off. The colors of the individual stars have finally become visible, showcasing the rich diversity within the cluster. Messier 13, located about 22,000 light-years away in the constellation Hercules, is one of the brightest and largest globular clusters in the northern sky, containing several hundred thousand stars packed tightly together. Capturing this image also marked a small milestone for me, as it became the 50th Messier object I have photographed!