Pale green globular star cluster with misty wisps and scattered white stars against a dark navy night sky, a 19th-century astronomical pastel.

Circular detail of a glowing pale green star cluster dotted with white stars, set on a white background. — Inside: four of your photos stand up below this, with your note.

No. 143 of 248 · The Natural History Series

The Great Cluster in Hercules

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E. L. Trouvelot's pastel of the Great Cluster in Hercules glows pale green against a deep night sky, a ball of several hundred thousand of the oldest stars in our galaxy. Trouvelot drew it through the great telescopes at Harvard, and in 1974 a radio message was sent toward this very cluster, due to arrive in about 25,000 years. For someone who loves the night sky.

Add four of your own photos and your own words; we print the card in the US and post it for you.

On the back

From the great astronomy books of the 1800s / THE GREAT CLUSTER IN HERCULES / A ball of Stars / A ball of several hundred thousand stars, among the oldest in our galaxy. In 1974 a radio message was beamed towards it from Earth; it will arrive in about 25,000 years. / The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings, 1881-82 / E. L. Trouvelot drew the sky through the great telescopes at Harvard; his pastels were printed in colour by Charles Scribner's Sons.

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