Messier 23   HOME INDEX BACK NEXT
 

Open Cluster in Sagittarius

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Star-hop chart

Messier 23 is a large and distinct group of about 150 stars. It can be found through binculars by starting at the small Sagittarius star cloud (Messier 24) and sweeping a few degrees to the west (as can be seen in this wide-field view). Because of its large size, it is an ideal target for binoculars or a small telescope at low power.


Magnitude 5.5
Apparent Size 27'
Distance (light yrs) 2,000
Right Ascension 17:56.9
Declination -10 01
Field of View 29' x 22'

Image details:  Exposure times of 33 minutes luminance and 15 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.

September 2015