M29
Cooling Tower Cluster
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
Survey Image
Loading survey image…
About M29
Description
M29 is a small, sparse open cluster in Cygnus, about 4,000 light-years from Earth. It contains only about 20 confirmed members spread across roughly 11 light-years. The cluster is young, at about 10 million years, and its brightest stars are hot blue giants. Heavy interstellar absorption dims it by about 3 magnitudes.
Observing Tips
Located about 1.7 degrees south of Gamma Cygni (Sadr), at the center of the Northern Cross. Easy to find but visually unimpressive. Binoculars show a small, tight group of 6-8 stars. A telescope at 50-80x shows a compact parallelogram pattern of bright stars. The cluster sits in an extraordinarily rich Milky Way field. Best observed from July through October.
History
Discovered by Charles Messier on July 29, 1764. It is one of the least impressive Messier objects visually, containing few stars and little visual impact compared to the rich star fields surrounding it.
Fun Facts
Without interstellar absorption, M29 would appear about 3 magnitudes brighter — roughly 15 times more luminous than we see it. The heavy dust in the Cygnus region dims and reddens the cluster significantly. Despite its modest appearance, M29's massive young stars are intrinsically among the most luminous in any Messier cluster.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Veryoldphotons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Feb 28, 2026