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A sphere of stars fills the upper half of the image. The sphere is cut off at the top but extends through out the rest of the image. Stars in bright-white, blue, orange, red, and yellow highlight this colorful globular cluster.
Hubble · Messier 28 · ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. E. Grindlay et al.

Messier 28

Star cluster in Sagittarius · 17,900 light-years

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TypeStar cluster
ConstellationSagittarius
Right ascension18h 24m 33s
Declination−24° 52′
Object distance17,900 light-years
Apparent magnitude6.9
Apparent size5.1′ (arc-minutes)
Approx. true diameter26.6 light-years across
Also known asM28 · NGC 6626
Messier 28 is a star cluster (also catalogued as NGC 6626) in Sagittarius — 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 5.1 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 6.9, it is an easy target for binoculars and small telescopes.

Although it appears about 5.1′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 26.6 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.

Observing Messier 28

Messier 28 lies in the constellation Sagittarius and is best placed in the evening sky around June. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. It is best placed for observers in the southern hemisphere, and sits low for those far north. It is a comfortable target for binoculars and small telescopes.

See Messier 28 in Universe Finder

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Sources

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