| Messier 14 is one of several prominent globular clusters in the constellation Ophiuchus. It is about one magnitude dimmer and slightly smaller than both M10 and M12, two other globulars that can be found a few degrees to its west. It is also farther away than these two, and its stars are dimmer and a bit harder to resolve in a medium-sized telescope. High magnification helps to see the individual stars in its core.
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| Evening visibility: |
June-October |
| Best viewed with: |
telescope |
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Printable chart (pdf) |
View larger image |
Directions:
Start by finding the constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, a large oval shape that is west of Arcturus (part of the Spring Triangle), east of Altair (part of the Summer Triangle), and north of Antares. The oval is about 25 degrees from top to bottom, and its main stars are second and third magnitude, so they should be easy to see with the naked eye even with moderate light pollution.
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| On the east side of Ophiuchus, look for γ (gamma) to the north and Sabik to the south. M14 is nearly on a line between these two stars, about 1/3 of the way from γ to Sabik. M14 can be hard to locate because there are no bright stars nearby. Below M14 are two stars of about magnitude 4.5 (circled in the chart below) that can help point you to the right spot. |
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| Star charts created with Cartes du Ciel |
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