Overview

M3 is a dense globular cluster located around 34,000 light years from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. It contains roughly 500,000 stars packed into a tightly bound spherical swarm. Formed around 11.4 billion years ago, M3 is more than twice as old as the Earth, making it a striking example of the ancient stellar populations that orbit the Milky Way, and an excellent target for urban astrophotographers.