Messier 79 (also known as M79 or NGC 1904) is a globular cluster in the southern constellation Lepus.

It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and is about 42,000 light-years away from Earth and 60,000 light years from the Galactic Center.

This is, however, a contentious subject as astronomers are still debating the nature of the Canis Major dwarf galaxy itself.

[8] The cluster is being disrupted by the galactic tide, trailing a long tidal tail.

Compared to optical bands, in infrared bands the lower main sequence is shallower and the horizontal branch is steeper (the blue end is fainter and the red end is brighter).