Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski
Star cluster in Scutum · 6,200 light-years
🔭 Explore Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski in the 3D map →View Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski images →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Scutum |
| Right ascension | 18h 51m 06s |
| Declination | −6° 16′ |
| Object distance | 6,200 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 5.8 |
| Apparent size | 9′ (arc-minutes) |
| Approx. true diameter | 16.2 light-years across |
| Also known as | M11 · NGC 6705 · Wild Duck Cluster |
Messier 11, popularly known as Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski, is a star cluster (also catalogued as NGC 6705) in Scutum — a gravitationally bound family of stars sharing a common origin. It was recorded by Charles Messier in his famous catalogue of 110 deep-sky objects. It spans roughly 9 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 5.8, it is an easy target for binoculars and small telescopes.
Although it appears about 9′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 16.2 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.
Observing Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski
Amas de l'Ecu de Sobieski lies in the constellation Scutum and is best placed in the evening sky around July. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. Lying near the celestial equator, it can be seen from both hemispheres. It is a comfortable target for binoculars and small telescopes.
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Sources
- Position, magnitude and angular size from the OpenNGC catalogue (Mattia Verga).
- Object identity cross-referenced with SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg).
- Image credits and the original observation source are linked with each photograph.
Related objects
- Pleiades — star cluster
- Hercules Cluster — star cluster
- Small Sgr Star Cloud — star cluster
- Messier 25 — star cluster
- Messier 103 — star cluster