Messier 23
| File:Messier23.jpg
Messier 23 Amateur image of M23. Author: Thomas Jäger | |
| Object type | Open cluster  |
|---|---|
| Other designations | NGC 6494 |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| 17h 56.8m | |
| Declination | −19° 01′ |
| Distance | 2.15 kly / 659 Pc |
In visual light (V) | |
| 6.9 | |
Size | 27.0′ |
| Radius | 8 |
| Estimated age | 220 million years[citation needed] |
 Related media on Wikimedia Commons | |
Messier 23 (also known as NGC 6494) is an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 20, 1764.
M23 is at a distance of about 2,150 light-years away from Earth, its radius is around 15-20 light years. There are some 150 identified members in this cluster, the brightest being of magnitude 9.2. M23 can be found with a modestly sized telescope in the rich starfields of the Sagittarius Milky Way.
External links
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