Messier Index/M69
| Messier 69 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (w:J2000 epoch) | |
| Class | V |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension | 18h 31m 23.23s[1] |
| Declination | -32° 20′ 52.7″[1] |
| Distance | 29.7 kly (9.1 kpc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +8.31[1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 9′.8 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mass | kg ( M) |
| Radius | 42 ly[2] |
| Other designations | M69, NGC 6637, GCl 96[1] |
Messier 69 (also known as M69 or NGC 6637) is a w:globular cluster in the w:constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by w:Charles Messier in August 31, w:1780, the same night he discovered M70. At the time, he was searching for an object described by LaCaille in 1751-2 and thought he had rediscovered it, but it is unclear if LaCaille actually described M69.
M69 is at a distance of about 29,700 w:light-years away from w:Earth and has a spatial radius of 42 light-years. It is a close neighbor of w:Globular Cluster M70, 1,800 light-years separating the two objects, and both these clusters lie close to the Galactic Center. It is one of the most metal-rich globular cluster known.
0.2° view]]
