Messier 22 (M22) is a bright, large globular star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius, located about 10,000 light-years away, making it one of the closest to Earth. Discovered in 1665, it's visible as a fuzzy patch in the sky and is notable for containing planet-sized objects not orbiting stars, two black holes, and a rare planetary nebula, making it a significant object for astronomical study.
Type: Globular cluster (NGC 6656)
Location: Constellation Sagittarius, near the Milky Way's center
Distance: ~10,000 light-years
Apparent Magnitude: +5.1 (visible with binoculars)
Size: Appears about the size of the full moon from Earth, with a diameter of about 70 light-years
Stars: Contains around 80,000 stars
Planet-sized objects: Contains six planet-sized objects that are not orbiting a star, discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Black holes: Believed to host two stellar-mass black holes.
Planetary nebula: One of only a few globular clusters known to contain a planetary nebula (a shell of gas ejected by a dying star).
Look for it in the constellation Sagittarius, near the "teapot" asterism.
It's located in the direction of the teapot's handle.
It appears as a fuzzy patch of light, similar in size to the full moon. Image Credit ESA/Hubble & NASA
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