Globular cluster · Horologium
NGC 1261
Also known as: C87
mag 8.35.1′ across
About
NGC 1261 is a globular cluster of magnitude 8.3 in Horologium, about 5.1′ across.
How to find it
- NGC 1261 is in the constellation Horologium.
- Best evenings: around late December it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from south of 25° N.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesNot visible to the naked eye.
- Binoculars (10×50)A small fuzzy star.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)A bright round glow; its edges break into stars at high power.
For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.
Facts
| Designations | NGC 1261, C87 |
|---|---|
| Type | Globular cluster |
| Magnitude | 8.3The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 5.1′the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Surface brightness | ≈ 20.5 mag/arcsec²Estimate from the magnitude and size, per square arcsecond. |
| Constellation | Horologium |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 03h 12m 15.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | −55° 13′ 00″ |
More in Horologium
Sources and credits
Catalog data: OpenNGC by Mattia Verga, CC BY-SA 4.0, and d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn, BSD 3-Clause. All data sources →