I like the bludgeoning method still....

Globular clusters would fit the "stars in a group" easy enough. There are certainly many Messier objects that fit that bill, but Dave has added unusual emphasis with his "French Connection" phrase. I can't imagine any drug reference. Hmmmm.

Recently, APOD showed a video of numerous stars that brightened significantly, and do so nightly, in M3. Perhaps three other clusters show these fast cycle stellar brighteners.

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Lighten up! This is a stellar board! Author: duh.

"The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do..." Author: Galileo supposedly.