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Messier 18 is an open cluster located 4,900 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius. This is a young (about 30 million years old) and small cluster, with about 40-50 stars, most of them belonging to the B and A spectral classes. It can be found between NGC 6618 (M17) and M24 (Sagittarius Cloud) and is faint and easily overlooked.
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): Messier 18. M18. NGC 6613
Type: Open Cluster
RA: 18h 19m 57s
Dec: -17º 05’ 55”
Constellation: Sagittarius
Size (arcmin): 10×10 arcmin
Magnitude: +7.5
Distance: 4,900 ly
Image
Date: 2021-06-06
Location: iTelescope.net, SSO near Coonabarabran, NSW Australia
Size (arcmin): 41×41 arcmin
Telescope: 17” f/6.8 Reflector
Camera: FLI PL16803 (4096x4096pix)
Guiding: N/A
Total exposure: 3 hours (R:G:B 1:1:1 h)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2021