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M71

Astronomy M70M72

Located in the constellation of Sagitta is a globular cluster known as M71. This is an extremely loose cluster, and for some time there was doubt as to whether this was a globular cluster at all.

 


M71 = NGC6838 ( 19h 53.8m +18°47´, 8.3 mag. )

This loose globular cluster in Sagitta was discovered by Koehler in 1775 or possibly by de Cheseaux in 1746. Mechain noticed it on June 28, 1780 and Messier observed it on October 4, 1780.

He independently discovered four others, originally discovered by someone else but unknown to him at the time and included in the Messier catalog: M71, discovered by Philippe de Cheseaux in the 1740s; M80, ...

In binoculares and small telescopes the globular cluster M71 appears as a misty patch of a sperical shape. Although it is nowadays classified as a globular cluster some authorities still refer to it as open star cluster.

See also: Sagitta, Cluster, Sky, Globular Cluster, Time