Messier 13 (M13), also known as the Hercules Cluster or NGC 6205, is one of the most famous and brightest globular clusters in the northern sky. It is located in the constellation Hercules and has been a favorite target for both amateur and professional astronomers since its discovery. M13 is a globular cluster, a spherical collection of stars that orbits the galactic core as a satellite. It contains at least 500,000 stars, tightly bound by gravity, giving it a dense, compact appearance. These stars are primarily older, low-metallicity stars, often referred to as Population II stars. M13 spans about 145 light-years in diameter and is located approximately 22,200 light-years from Earth. Despite its relatively small size on the sky, its dense concentration of stars makes it one of the most prominent globular clusters.