Open Cluster in Sagittarius
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. The lower image here, which has a much wider field of view, shows how distinct and impressive the cluster appears when seen against the background stars in the Sagittarius Milky Way.
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Upper image: 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
Lower image: 57 exposures of 30 seconds each, taken with a Dwarf Mini telescope.
August 2026
