July 1, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Vivian White, NASA High in the summer sky, the constellation Hercules acts as a centerpiece for late-night stargazers. At the center of Hercules is the "Keystone," a near-perfect square shape between the bright stars Vega and Arcturus that is easy to recognize and can serve as a guidepost for some amazing sights.
While not the brightest stars, the shape of the hero's torso, like a smaller Orion, is nearly directly overhead after sunset. Along the edge of this square, you can find a most magnificent jewel—the Great Globular Cluster of Hercules, also known as Messier 13. Globular clusters are a tight ball of very old stars, closer together than stars near us.
These clusters orbit the center of our Milky Way like tight swarms of bees. One of the most famous short stories, "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov, imagines a civilization living on a planet within one of these star clusters. They are surrounded by so many stars so near that it is always daytime except for once every millennium, when a special alignment (including a solar eclipse ) occurs, plunging their planet into darkness momentarily.
The sudden night reveals so many stars that it drives the inhabitants mad. Back here on our home planet Earth, we are lucky enough to experience skies full of st.
