The Messier 13 (M13), also known as the Hercules Cluster, is one of the brightest and most well-known globular clusters in the northern sky, located in the constellation Hercules. Situated about 22,000 light-years from Earth, M13 contains several hundred thousand densely packed stars, all gravitationally bound in a spherical formation spanning roughly 145 light-years. This ancient cluster is estimated to be around 11.65 billion years old, making it a remnant from the early stages of our galaxy.  The cluster is also famous for being the target of the Arecibo message, a 1974 attempt to communicate with potential extraterrestrial civilizations. M13 continues to be a popular object for both professional and amateur astronomers due to its brilliance and the insight it provides into stellar evolution and the history of the Milky Way. M13 was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714, and cataloged by Charles Messier on June 1, 1764,  Written by ChatGPT.