Butterfly Cluster
Star cluster in Scorpius · 1,600 light-years
🔭 Explore Butterfly Cluster in the 3D map →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Distance | 1,600 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 4.2 |
| Apparent size | 15.6′ (arc-minutes) |
| Also known as | M6 · NGC 6405 |
Messier 6, popularly known as the Butterfly Cluster, is a star cluster (also catalogued as NGC 6405) in Scorpius — 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 15.6 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 4.2, it is bright enough to glimpse with the unaided eye under a dark sky.
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Related objects
- Pleiades — star cluster
- Hercules Cluster — star cluster
- Small Sgr Star Cloud — star cluster
- Messier 25 — star cluster
- Messier 103 — star cluster