M52 - NGC 7654

Messier 52 (NGC 7654) is a rich open star cluster located approximately 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1774 while he was observing a comet, this cluster contains roughly 200 stars spread across an area about 13 arcminutes in apparent diameter, corresponding to a physical size of approximately 19 light-years. The cluster is estimated to be around 35 million years old, making it relatively young in astronomical terms. M52 lies in a rich star field along the Milky Way, which can make it somewhat challenging to distinguish from the surrounding background stars at low magnification. However, its central condensation of stars helps it stand out. The brightest members of the cluster are blue-white main sequence stars, though two yellow giant stars near the center provide a pleasing color contrast. M52 is an attractive target for small telescopes, where it appears as a kidney-shaped or fan-shaped concentration of faint stars. Binoculars will show it as a hazy, nebulous patch against the Milky Way background. The cluster is located near the famous Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635), and both objects can sometimes be framed in the same wide-field view, making this region of Cassiopeia a popular area for astrophotography. M52 is classified as Trumpler type I,2,r, indicating it is detached with strong central concentration and a rich population of stars.

M52 contains roughly 200 stars within a diameter of about 19 light-years and is located approximately 5,000 light-years from Earth.