M107

Alt. Designations: NGC 6171
Object Type: Globular Cluster
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Distance: 20.9 kly
Right Ascension: 16h 32m 31.9s
Declination: -13° 03´ 11"
Visual Magnitude: 8.1
Apparent Dimension: 13.0´ Dia.
Best Month To View: Jun

In the constellation Ophiuchus lies a globular cluster of stars known as M107. It was discovered by Messier's colleague, Pierre Mechain, in 1782 and was not included in the original publication of the catalog. It is located about 20,000 light-years from Earth and is believed to have a diameter of around 60 light-years. This cluster is approaching us at a rate of about 147 km/sec. It can be easily found with binoculars and is an impressive sight in a 4-inch telescope at medium magnification.