Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus
Messier 12 can be found in the eastern portion of the constellation Ophiuchus, about 3 degrees to the northwest of Messier 10, another globular cluster of similar size and brightness. These objects are different in appearance, however, because the center of Messier 12 is not as densely packed as Messier 10, and the stars are easily resolved all the way to the core through a telescope of medium aperture. In the periphery, chains of stars radiate from the center in all directions.
| Magnitude | 6.6 |
| Apparent Size | 14' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 16,000 |
| Right Ascension | 16:47.2 |
| Declination | -1 57 |
| Field of View | 29' x 22' |
Image details: Exposure times of 30 minutes luminance and 18 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
July 2015