M52

Messier 52, designated M52 and also known as NGC 7654, is an open star cluster in the northern constellation Cassiopeia. It is a member of the Milky Way's disk and lies at a distance of a few thousand light-years from Earth, making it a distant but accessible object for observers with small to medium telescopes. Its exact distance is not precisely fixed, but estimates place it in the range of roughly 3,000 to 5,000 light-years.

The cluster is relatively loose, containing dozens to a few hundred stars that range from hot blue members to cooler, redder stars. It appears elongated and shows a moderate concentration of stars toward the center. The apparent size of M52 is about 7 to 8 arcminutes in diameter, which translates to a physical size of several light-years depending on the true distance.

M52 is considered intermediate in age for an open cluster, with estimates typically describing it as hundreds of millions of years old. Its stellar population provides a snapshot of cluster evolution, illustrating how stars disperse over time within the gravitational potential of the Milky Way.

Discovery and observation: M52 was cataloged by Charles Messier in 1774 as part of his compilation of astronomical objects for comet hunting. In suitable dark-sky conditions, it can be observed with binoculars or small telescopes, appearing as a fuzzy patch that resolves into a loose grouping of stars under modest magnification. The cluster remains a popular target for amateur astronomers studying open clusters in the northern sky.