| Designation(s) | M2, NGC 7089 |
| Object Type(s) | Globular Cluster |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Messier, NGC |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Date and Time Observed | 2024-11-12 20:58:00 |
| Instrument | EdgeHD 8" f10-2,032mm FL |
| Camera | ASI294mc-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 270.7 degrees E of N. Transparency: Fair. Total integration time was 12m. Exposures 15s@305g, UV/IR Cut Filter. Darks subtracted, no flat in SharpCap. No guiding.. |
| Description | M2 was discovered by the French astronomer Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746, and "rediscovered" by Messier on September 11, 1760: "Nebula without star in the head of Aquarius, its center is brilliant, & the light surrounding it is round; it resembles the beautiful nebula which is situated between the head & the bow of Sagittarius [M22].... M. Messier has reported this nebula on the chart of the track of the comet observed in 1759". William Herschel was the first to resolve its individual stars in 1783. <--> M2 ranks 10th in both Apparent Magnitude among Messier GCs at 6.47 and diameter (16'). It appears slightly ellipsoidal, with several dozen giant stars visible. Unclear from the Nov 2024 capture what color they are; I've included at the end of the gallery an image I captured in September of 2023 that suggests they are they are both red and yellow. |
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