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Star

Messier 73

Also M73 · NGC 6994

Open in Ouranos

Four stars in a tight little group that only line up by chance: an asterism, not a cluster.

Measured

Distance
about 2,290 light-years (published estimates 1,030–2,290)
Constellation
Aquarius
Position (J2000)
RA 20h 58m 59s, Dec −12.63°

How far, from the Sun

About 2,290 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light2,290 years
  • Voyager 1's speed40.7 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h24.7 billion years

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

Facts

  • Gaia puts its four stars at about 1,030, 1,250, 2,170 and 2,290 light-years — nowhere near each other.
  • It is placed here at its brightest star.

Where this comes from

  • Gaia DR3 parallaxes of its four stars: 1.4240, 2.6105, 1.5029 and 3.1658 mas (Gaia Collaboration 2023, A&A 674, A1)
  • 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.