Messier 56

Messier 56 (M56) is a globular cluster in the constellation Lyra, with an apparent magnitude of 8.1. It is about 32,616 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/m56/"><img src="https://constellationmap.org/img/messier/m56-finder-chart.png" alt="Finder chart for Messier 56 in the constellation Lyra" width="800" height="800" loading="lazy"></a>
<br><small><a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m56/">Messier 56</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 56 (M56)
Type	globular cluster
Constellation	Lyra
Apparent magnitude	8.1
Distance	about 32,616 light-years
Right ascension	19 h 16.6 min
Declination	+30.18°
Best month	August (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 M56

M56 is in Lyra. From 40° N it is highest in the south in August evenings, about 80° up. From 35° S it reaches about 25° in the north. You need a telescope and a dark sky to see it.

Lyra constellation →

Other Messier objects in Lyra

Ring Nebula (M57)

The Messier catalog →

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Messier 56

Facts

How to find M56

Other Messier objects in Lyra

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