Where to find it
Interactive sky chart centred on 20 53 16.6 -12 14 56, with constellation stick figures overlaid. Locate shows the whole constellation with the target ringed; Field zooms to the close-up. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, click any star to identify it. Imagery: DSS colour survey via CDS Aladin Lite. Constellation figures © Dominic Ford (GPLv3).
Frequently asked questions
What kind of object is M 72?
M 72 is an open cluster.
Which constellation is M 72 in?
M 72 lies in the constellation Aquarius.
How far away is M 72?
The light in this image left M 72 roughly ~55,000 years ago, so that is how far back in time you are seeing it.
What are the coordinates of M 72?
M 72 sits at right ascension 20h 53m 17s and declination −12° 14′ 56″ (J2000).
When is the best time to photograph M 72?
M 72 rides highest in the evening sky around August, reaching about 24° above the horizon from around 54°N.
What equipment was used to photograph M 72?
This image of M 72 was captured with ZWO Seestar S50 and ZWO Seestar S50 Camera.
How much exposure time went into this image?
This image of M 72 represents 13m (79 × 10s) of total integration time.
