Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size C57 (NGC 6822) Irregular Galaxy 19h 44m 57s -14° 48′ 01″ Sagittarius +9.3 17×17 arcmin Overview This barred irregular galaxy was discovered by E. E. Barnard, an American astronomer, using a 6″ refractor in 1884. It’s a dwarf member of the local group and very close to […]
C57, Barnard’s Galaxy in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M20 (NGC 6514) Bright Nebula 18h 02m 36s -23° 02′ 00″ Sagittarius 6.3 29×27 arcmins Overview The Trifid Nebula was discovered by Charles Messier in June 1764. Its name literally means ‘three lobes’ and while detailed images like the one below appear to show four lobes, we
M20, The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M17 (NGC 6618) Bright Nebula 18h 20m 48s -16° 11′ 00″ Sagittarius +6.00 46×37 arcmin Overview M17, the brightest summer nebula in the northern hemisphere, was discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1745. Messier added it to his catalog 19 years later, in 1764, after discovering
M17, Omega/Swan Nebula in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R.A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M8 (NGC 6523) Bright Nebula 18h 03m 48s -24° 23′ 00″ Sagittarius 6.00 90×40 arcmin Overview When you spy the Lagoon Nebula, take the time to ponder that what you’re actually seeing is a vast interstellar gas cloud. It’s 4,000 light-years away from us and yet, under dark
M8, The Lagoon Nebula, in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M70 (NGC 6681) Globular Cluster 18h 43m 12s -32° 17′ 32″ Sagittarius +7.86 8.0 arcmin Overview Messier discovered this globular cluster in 1780. Like many of the clusters situated in Sagittarius, it’s closer to the galactic center of the Milky Way, ay 6,500 light-years, than to us,
M70, Globular Cluster in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M69 (NGC 6637) Globular Cluster 18h 29m 49s -32° 20′ 53″ Sagittarius +7.6 9.8 arcmin Overview This cluster is just about visible in binoculars and was first discovered by Charles Messier in August 1780. It covers an area of 90 light-years across and is approximately 28,700 light-years
M69, Globular Cluster in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M55 (NGC 6809) Globular Cluster 19h 39m 05s -30° 57′ 53″ Sagittarius +6.32 19.0 arcmins Overview This globular cluster in Sagittarius is hard to see from northerly latitudes. It doesn’t rise higher than 10° above the horizon in the UK, and barely rises at all from the
M55, Globular Cluster in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M24 (IC 4715) Open Cluster 18h 18m 48s -18° 33′ 00″ Sagittarius +4.59 90.0 arcmin Overview Other than the Andromeda Galaxy, the Sagittarius star cloud is the largest of all the Messier objects visible in our night sky. At ninety arcminutes wide, it occupies an area of
M24, The Sagittarius Star Cloud in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R. A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M21 (NGC 6531) Open Cluster 18h 04m 13s -22° 29′ 00″ Sagittarius +5.90 14.0 arcmin Overview Less than 1° away from the Trifid Nebula, M22, is this compact open cluster. Discovered by Messier in June, 1764, this rich little cluster is 4,200 light-years away from us. The
M21, Open Cluster in Sagittarius Read More »
Target Type R.A. Dec. Constellation Magnitude Size M18 (NGC 6613) Open Cluster 18h 19m 58s -17° 06′ 00″ Sagittarius 6.90 5.0 arcmin Overview This cluster is sparsely populated with just a few dozen bright stars. It’s a young cluster, aged just 33 million years, and is seventy light-years off the galactic plane, almost 5,000 light-years
M18, Open Cluster in Sagittarius Read More »
