Messier 3 (M3) is a prominent globular star cluster situated in the constellation Canes Venatici. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, M3 is one of the brightest and best-studied globular clusters in the northern sky. It contains more than 500,000 stars, including a high population of variable stars—over 270 RR Lyrae variables are found here. The cluster is roughly 34,000 light-years from Earth and about 8 billion years old. Its dense core and extensive halo of ancient stars make M3 an outstanding object for both visual and telescopic observation.