Messier 5, also known as M5, is a globular cluster located in the constellation Serpens. It is one of the oldest known globular clusters, estimated to be around 13 billion years old. M5 contains hundreds of thousands of stars, tightly packed together, and is approximately 24,500 light-years away from Earth. Discovered by Johann Elert Bode in 1778, M5 is notable for its bright core and rich population of variable stars. It has a diameter of about 165 light-years and is one of the largest globular clusters in our galaxy, making it a popular target for amateur astronomers.