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A colorful grouping of red, yellow, orange, blue, and white stars sits at image center. The stars appear close together at image center and appear less dense as you move outward.
Hubble · Messier 10 · NASA, ESA, G. Piotto (Universita degli Studi di Padova); Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Messier 10

Star cluster in Ophiuchus · 14,300 light-years

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TypeStar cluster
ConstellationOphiuchus
Right ascension16h 57m 09s
Declination−4° 06′
Object distance14,300 light-years
Apparent magnitude5
Apparent size9.3′ (arc-minutes)
Approx. true diameter38.7 light-years across
Also known asM10 · NGC 6254
Messier 10 is a star cluster (also catalogued as NGC 6254) in Ophiuchus — 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 9.3 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 5, it is bright enough to glimpse with the unaided eye under a dark sky.

Although it appears about 9.3′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 38.7 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.

Observing Messier 10

Messier 10 lies in the constellation Ophiuchus and is best placed in the evening sky around June. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. Lying near the celestial equator, it can be seen from both hemispheres. At its brightness it can be found with the unaided eye under a dark sky and is easy in binoculars.

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Sources

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