Deep space
Great Sagittarius Cluster
Globular cluster · M22 · NGC 6656
Globular cluster in Sagittarius
Photo: en:NASA, en:STScI, en:WikiSky · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Messier 22 or M22, also known as NGC 6656 or the Great Sagittarius Cluster, is an elliptical globular cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius, near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars visible in the night sky. The brightest stars are 11th magnitude, with hundreds of stars bright enough to resolve with an 8" telescope. It is just south of the sun's position in mid-December, and northeast of Lambda Sagittarii, the northernmost star of the "Teapot" asterism.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~9,600–11,600 light-years
Apparent mag.
+5.1
Apparent size
32′
Best seen with
Naked eye (dark sky)
Catalogue
M22 · NGC 6656
Did you know
- Listed as Messier 22 in the Messier catalogue, also known as NGC 6656.
- Found in the constellation Sagittarius.
- Visible to the naked eye from a dark, moonless site.
