Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24)
Also known as M24 · M 24 · Sagittarius Star Cloud · IC 4715 · Small Sgr Star Cloud
Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24) is an association of stars in the constellation Sagittarius.
Facts
| Type | Association of stars |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Position (J2000) | 18h 16m 56s, −18° 30′ |
| Brightness | magnitude 4.5 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 120′ × 60′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | No filter (It shines in starlight of every colour, so a nebula filter would only dim it; a dark sky helps more.) |
| Studied in | 54 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24) is highest in the sky at midnight in June. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 51° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 21°. To see it you need the naked eye from a dark site.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Sagittarius
- Lagoon Nebula (M8)
- M18 (NGC 6613)
- M21 (NGC 6531)
- M23 (NGC 6494)
- Omega Nebula (M17)
- Sagittarius A*
- Sagittarius Cluster (M22)
- Trifid Nebula (M20)
Everything in Sagittarius · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits