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NGC 6530 This open cluster of stars, known as entry number 6530 in the New General Catalogue (NGC 6530), is a moderately rich cluster with between 50 and 100 members. Associated with the Lagoon Nebula, and only weakly held together by gravity, NGC 6530 seems to float in front of the glowing gas cloud behind it. Enshrouded in the nebula’s veils of dust, the stars of NGC 6530 show a hint of reddening because grains of dust scatter blue light out of starlight, making the stars appear redder than they actually are. The brightest star in the cluster is a rather massive star, thought to be a few million years old only. This is also the average age of the cluster. This cluster was apparently first observed by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna before 1654, and independently found by the English astronomer John Flamsteed in 1680, who catalogued it as his entry No. 2446.
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