Open Cluster in Sagittarius
Messier 18 is small open cluster of a few dozen stars. It does not get much attention, as it is surrounded by more dramatic objects such as the Swan Nebula (M17) to the north and the Small Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24) to the south. It is situated in a rich star field of the Milky Way.
| Magnitude | 7.5 |
| Apparent Size | 9' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 4,900 |
| Right Ascension | 18:19.9 |
| Declination | -17 08 |
| Field of View | 28' x 21' |
Image details: Exposure times of 22 minutes luminance, and 10 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG STF-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/5.5.
October 2023