M80 (NGC 6093)

M80. Image credit: Hubble Space Telescope

One of the densest known globular clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy; it lies in the constellation Scorpius. M80 contains hundreds of thousands of stars, including a large population of blue stragglers in its core. The cluster has been the site of two known novae: in 1860 (T Scorpii) and in 1938. M80 was discovered by Charles Messier on Jan. 4, 1781. Though not very conspicuous, M80 can be located easily as it is lies almost exactly halfway between Antares (Alpha Scorpii) and Graffias (Beta Scorpii), just below the declination parallel of Dschubba (Delta Scorpii).

visual magnitude	7.3
angular size	8.9'
distance	28,000 light-years
position	R.A. 16h 17m, Dec. -22° 59'

Related categories

• NEBULAE AND STAR CLUSTERS
• MESSIER CATALOGUE

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