Globular cluster in Sagittarius
Star-hop chart
This cluster is
about 18,000 light years away, and it has a diameter of about 30 light
years. It is just 3 degrees to the
west of the much larger and brighter globular cluster Messier 22. The smaller
apparent size of this cluster is partly due to its greater distance. Both clusters are situated in the
Sagittarius Milky Way, so the background is filled with countless stars. Messier 28 is easy to spot with a small telescope, appearing as a hazy ball of light. With a medium or large telescope, many
of its individual stars can be resolved.
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August 2008