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Open star cluster

Messier 18

Also M18 · NGC 6613

Open in OuranosCompare its size

An open cluster: a family of stars born together from one cloud, slowly drifting apart.

Measured

Distance
4,895 light-years
Size
about 28 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Sagittarius
Position (J2000)
RA 18h 19m 57s, Dec −17.09°

How far, from the Sun

4,900 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light4,900 years
  • Voyager 1's speed87 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h52.8 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It lies between the Omega Nebula (M17) and the Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24).
  • Gaia picks out about 173 member stars (Hunt & Reffert 2023).

Where this comes from

  • Hunt & Reffert 2023, A&A 673, A114: Gaia DR3 cluster distance 1500.7 pc (16th–84th percentile 1495.7–1505.8 pc)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.