Messier 4

Messier 4 (M4) is a globular cluster in the constellation Scorpius, with an apparent magnitude of 5.6. It is about 7,200 light-years away.

Free to use with credit: Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), CC BY 4.0 · More

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<a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m4/"><img src="https://constellationmap.org/img/messier/m4-finder-chart.png" alt="Finder chart for Messier 4 in the constellation Scorpius" width="800" height="800" loading="lazy"></a>
<br><small><a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m4/">Messier 4</a> · Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a></small>

Facts

Catalog	Messier 4 (M4)
Type	globular cluster
Constellation	Scorpius
Apparent magnitude	5.6
Distance	about 7,200 light-years
Right ascension	16 h 23.6 min
Declination	−26.53°
Best month	July (at about 9 pm)

Sources: star positions, magnitudes and colors from the Yale Bright Star Catalogue; constellation boundaries and star names from the IAU; areas and distances from Wikidata; stick figures by M. van der Sluys. How the maps are made.

How to find M4

M4 is in Scorpius. From 40° N it is highest in the south in July evenings, about 23° up. From 35° S it reaches about 82° in the north. Binoculars show it under a dark sky; a small telescope shows more detail.

Scorpius constellation →

Other Messier objects in Scorpius

Butterfly Cluster (M6)Ptolemy Cluster (M7)Messier 80 (M80)

The Messier catalog →

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Messier 4

Facts

How to find M4

Other Messier objects in Scorpius

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