The open star cluster known as M 29 is located about 4,000 light years from our solar system in the direction of the constellation of Cygnus. It is a small grouping of hot, young blue stars that is perhaps 11 light years across.

In 1764 Charles Messier made it the twenty ninth object, M29, of his famous catalog.

This image is a composite from images taken with the Palomar Observatory's 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope as a part of the Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey.

previous                      Next