S Nor Cluster
Star cluster in Norma · 2,900 light-years
🔭 Explore S Nor Cluster in the 3D map →View S Nor Cluster images →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Norma |
| Right ascension | 16h 18m 51s |
| Declination | −57° 56′ |
| Object distance | 2,900 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 5.4 |
| Apparent size | 10.2′ (arc-minutes) |
| Approx. true diameter | 8.6 light-years across |
| Also known as | C89 · NGC 6087 |
Caldwell 89, popularly known as the S Nor Cluster, is a star cluster (NGC 6087) in Norma — a family of stars bound by gravity. It appears as number 89 in the Caldwell catalogue, Sir Patrick Moore's 1995 list of 109 bright deep-sky objects for amateur astronomers. It spans roughly 10.2 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 5.4, it can be glimpsed with the unaided eye under dark skies.
Although it appears about 10.2′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 8.6 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.
Observing S Nor Cluster
S Nor Cluster lies in the constellation Norma and is best placed in the evening sky around May. 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. At its brightness it can be found with the unaided eye under a dark sky and is easy in binoculars.
See S Nor Cluster in Universe Finder
Open the interactive 3D map to fly to S Nor Cluster and see it in context among the real stars around it. Launch the 3D view →
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