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) | 19,000 |
| Right Ascension | 16:47.2 |
| Declination | -1 57 |
| Field of View | 22.5' x 15' |
Image details: 12 images, each 150 seconds at ISO 1600,
taken with a Canon 400D camera through a Meade
12” telescope at f/10.
June 2010