Messier 28

For other uses, see M28.

Messier 28 or M28, also known as NGC 6626, is a globular cluster of stars in the center-west of Sagittarius. It was discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1764.^[11][a] He briefly described it as a "nebula containing no star... round, seen with difficulty in 31⁄2-foot telescope; Diam 2′."^[12]

Messier 28
Globular cluster Messier 28 in Sagittarius
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Class	IV[1]
Constellation	Sagittarius
Right ascension	18h 24m 32.89s[2]
Declination	–24° 52′ 11.4″[2]
Distance	18.26 ± 0.98 kly (5.6 ± 0.3 kpc)[3]
Apparent magnitude (V)	6.8[4]
Apparent dimensions (V)	11′.2[5]
Physical characteristics
Mass	5.51×105[6] M☉
Radius	30 ly[7]
VHB	15.55 ± 0.10[8]
Metallicity	${\displaystyle {\begin{smallmatrix}\left[{\ce {Fe}}/{\ce {H}}\right]\end{smallmatrix}}}$ = –1.32[6] dex
Estimated age	12.0 Gyr[9]
Notable features	Contains first pulsar discovered in a globular[10]
Other designations	GCl 94, M 28, NGC 6626[2]
See also: Globular cluster, List of globular clusters

In the sky it is less than a degree to the northwest of the 3rd magnitude star Kaus Borealis (Lambda Sgr). This cluster is faintly visible as a hazy patch with a pair of binoculars^[11] and can be readily found in a small telescope with an 8 cm (3.1 in) aperture, showing as a nebulous feature spanning 11.2 arcminutes. Using an aperture of 15 cm (5.9 in), the core becomes visible and a few distinct stars can be resolved, along the periphery. Larger telescopes will provide greater resolution,^[5] one of 25 cm (9.8 in) revealing a dense 2′ core, with more density within.^[11]

It is about 18,300 light-years away from Earth.^[3] It is about 551000 M_☉^[6] and its metallicity (averaging −1.32 which means more than 10 times less than our own star), coherency and preponderence of older stellar evolution objects, support its dating to very roughly 12 billion years old.^[9] 18 RR Lyrae type variable stars have been found within.

It bore the first discovery of a millisecond pulsar in a globular cluster – PSR B1821–24. This was using the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, England.^[10] A total of 11 further of these have since been detected in it with the telescope at Green Bank Observatory, West Virginia. As of 2011, these number the third-most in a cluster tied to the Milky Way, following Terzan 5 and 47 Tucanae.^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Messier 28 taken by Hubble.^[14]
• 
  2.5' view of M28 taken by Hubble Space Telescope.
• 
  Messier 28 on 2MASS; wide angle
• 
  Map showing location of M28

See also

• List of Messier objects