Messier 55   HOME INDEX BACK NEXT
 

Globular cluster in Sagittarius

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Star-hop chart

Messier 55 is a loosely packed globular cluster that is located east of the Sagittarius teapot. It is one of the closest globular clusters, and its stars are easy to resolve all the way to the center of the cluster through a medium-size telescope. M55 is never very high in the sky for northern hemisphere observers, but it is an impressive sight that is well worth searching for.

Magnitude 6.3
Apparent Size 19'
Distance (light yrs) 17,300
Right Ascension 19:40.0
Declination -30 57
Field of View 29' x 22'

Image details:  Exposure times of 30 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. 

July 2017