OJBs Web Site: M80

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M80

This is the basic information for M80. Its a globular cluster (class II), in Scorpius, also know as NGC6093. The poisition is right ascension 16:17.0, declination -22:59. The distance is 27,000 light years, the magnitude 7.3, and apparent width 8.9 arc minutes, giving a true size about 70 light years diameter,

Unlike most objects in his catalog Messier actually discovered this one. Most of the other objects had already been discovered and Messier simply catalogued them.

This object is easy to locate between Alpha (Antares) and Beta Scorpii in the head of the scorpion. Its not particularly impressive, being both small and relatively dim, and requires a large telesope to resolve the stars.

To find M80 you need find the constellation Scorpius. This should be easy because it is one of the largest and brightest in the sky. The brightest star in Scorpius is the red supergiant Antares (apparent magnitude 1.03, true brightness 387000 Suns, diameter 2700 times the Sun!). In the claw of the csorpion is the second magnitude star Beta Scorpii. By taking a line between these two stars and looking about half way along it M80 should be found. Remember, its small and only moderately bright so it can be a bit more difficult to locate.

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