Messier 92 (Hercules)
Fig. 1 - Very tightly packed, containing roughly 330,000 stars in total: The globular cluster Messier 92 in Hercules, photographed with an 8-inch f/5 Newtonian reflector on a ZWO AM5 mount.
| Object name: | Constellation: | Coordinates: | Apparent size: | Visual brightness: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messier 92 (NGC 6341) | Hercules | 17h17m / +43°08' | 14' | 6.4 mag |
The globular cluster Messier 92 (NGC 6341) in the constellation Hercules. Messier 92 is a ball of stars that orbits our galaxy’s core like a satellite. It is only slightly less bright, but about 1/3 less extended than Messier 13 (also in Hercules), the finest of all globular clusters north of the celestial equator. Messier 92 is more concentrated than Messier 13, making it a perfect object for larger telescopes.
Messier 92 is one of the oldest star clusters in the Milky Way, with an age almost the same as the age of the Universe. It is 26,700 light-years away from the Solar System and was discovered by German astronomer Johann Elert Bode in 1777 and inadvertently rediscovered by Charles Messier in 1781 (source: Wikipedia).
Exposure time: 2h 54min (58x3min) at gain 100 and -10°C, taken on June 18 / 19, 2025. Processing with Astro Pixel Processor (APP) and Photoshop. Darks, flats, and bias were used.
Equipment: Cooled ASI 2600MC Pro camera, TeleVue Paracorr Type II coma corrector, 8" f/5 "ONTC" Newtonian telescope riding on a ZWO AM5 Strain Wave Mount, ZWO OAG-L off axis system, ASI 174MM Mini guide camera, ASIAIR Plus.
Messier 92 was also captured with a 16-inch dobsonian on an equatorial platform. The image can be seen here.
Fig. 2 - Search chart for Messier 92. Copyright 2025 'The Mag-7 Star Atlas Project', www.siaris.net.