M6

Alt. Designations: NGC 6405
Object Type: Open Cluster
Constellation: Scorpius
Distance: 1.6 kly
Right Ascension: 17h 40m 20.0s
Declination: -32° 15´ 00"
Visual Magnitude: 4.2
Apparent Dimension: 33.0´ Dia.
Best Month To View: May

M6 is a galactic, or open cluster of stars found in the constellation of Scorpius. It has a diameter of about 20 light-years and lies about 2,000 light-years from Earth. This cluster is composed mainly of blue and white stars with the brightest being a yellow or orange giant. The shape of this cluster somewhat resembles that of a butterfly, giving rise to its more common name, the butterfly cluster. At magnitude 4.2 it is an easy find with binoculars.