Messier 70
Messier 70 or M70, also known as NGC 6681, is a globular cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier on 31 August 1780. The famous comet Hale–Bopp was discovered near this cluster 23 July 1995.
M70 is at a distance of about 29,400 light years away from Earth and around from the Galactic Center. It is roughly the same size and luminosity as its neighbour in space, M69. M70 has a very small core radius of and a half-light radius of. This cluster has undergone core collapse, leaving it centrally concentrated with the luminosity distribution following a power law.
There are two distinct stellar populations in the cluster, with each displaying unique abundance abundances. These likely represent different generations of stars. Five known variable stars lie within the tidal radius of this cluster, all of which are RR Lyrae variables. The cluster may have two blue stragglers near the core.Gallery
