Messier 11 is known as the Wild Duck Cluster. It is located in the constellation of Scutum.

M11 is an open star cluster that is 6,000 light-years distant. Its apparent size of 11 arcminutes would correspond to a real size of 20 light-years in diameter in space. It is estimated to be 250 million years old and contains several yellow and red giant stars.

The Wild Duck Cluster is one of the richest and most concentrated open clusters with some 500 stars brighter than magnitude 14.

M11 shines at magnitude 6.3 and is easily found 1.75 degrees southeast of Beta Scuti, or by following the curve of the "fish hook" from 14, 15, Gamma, and 12 Aquilae to Eta Scuti and then to M11.

M11 was discovered by Gottfried Kirch in 1681, but not resolved into stars until 1733 by William Derham.

North is to the top in the above image.

Messier 11 Catalogs: M11, NGC 6705 Common Name: Wild Duck Cluster Object Type: Open Cluster Magnitude: 5.8v Size: 11' Constellation: Scutum Image Field Centered At: RA: 18h 51m 04s Dec: -06° 16' 12"