M2 is a globular cluster in the constellation of Aquarius. Its actual position in the galactic halo places it in the southern galactic cap, almost directly beneath the southern pole of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, and at a distance from us of around 47000 light-years. M2 is a compact and fairly dense globular cluster, containing more than 100,000 stars (of which only about 5000 are visible here), and stretching more than 150 light-years across. Because the stars in a globular cluster are all the same age and all at the same distance from Earth, they provide an excellent laboratory in which astronomers can study stellar evolution. The stars of a globular cluster can also be used to understand "standard candles", which is to say, types of stars that all have the same intrinsic brightness, and can therefore be used to measure distances. This picture was created from six images taken in July 1997 at the KPNO 0.9-meter telescope during the summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program operated at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and supported by the National Science Foundation.