Messier Index/M26
| Messier 26 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
| Constellation | w:Scutum |
| Right ascension | 18h 45.2m |
| Declination | −09° 24′ |
| Distance | 5.0 kly (1534 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.0 |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 15.0′ |
| Other designations | NGC 6694 |
Open Cluster M26 (also known as Messier Object 26 or NGC 6694) is an w:open cluster in the w:constellation w:Scutum. It was discovered by w:Charles Messier in w:1764.
M26 spans about 22 w:light years across and is at a distance of 5,000 light years from the w:Earth. The brightest star is of magnitude 11.9 and the age of this cluster has been calculated to be 89 million years. An interesting feature of M26 is a region of low w:star density near the nucleus, most likely caused by an obscuring cloud of w:interstellar matter between us and the cluster.