Object Analysis

Messier 12 (M12) is a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, it is located about 15,700 light-years from Earth. It is roughly 75 light-years in diameter.

M12 is notably loose for a globular cluster; it lacks the dense, central concentration of stars typical of most globulars. In fact, it was once thought to be a tightly packed open cluster. Astronomers believe M12 has lost up to one million low-mass stars due to gravitational interactions with the Milky Way as it passes through the galactic plane.

This stripping process means M12 has a surprisingly high concentration of low-mass X-ray binaries, formed when stars are forced close together in the depleted core. It is an excellent case study for the dynamical evolution and eventual dissolution of globular clusters.