M24 - The Sagittarius Star Cloud

  
 
 
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M24 - The Sagittarius Star Cloud
 
   
  • RA: 18:17
  • Dec: -18:29
  • Magnitude: 4.6
  • Distance: ~10,000 ly
  • Size:  90 arc min
  • Constellation:  Sagittarius
  • Scope: Orion ED80 at f/7
  • Autoguider:  ST-4 in faint mode
  • Sky conditions:  Above Average transparency and seeing
  • Camera: Hap Griffin modified Canon XSi at 800
  • Exposure: 12 x 5 minutes
  • Date:  August 8, 2010
  • Location: Ransom, IL
Comments: The Sagittarius Star Cloud (also known as Messier 24, IC 4715) is a star cloud in the constellation of Sagittarius, approximately 600 light years wide, which was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. The stars, clusters and other objects comprising M24 are part of the Sagittarius or Sagittarius-Carina arms of the Milky Way galaxy. Messier described M24 as a "large nebulosity containing many stars" and gave its dimensions as being some 1.5° across, a description that fits the star cloud rather well. In the lower left of the photo is the open cluster NGC6603. To the right are the nebulae NGC6589, NGC6590, and NGC6596. Part of Barnard 92 is visible in the top left of the photo.