Open cluster · Scorpius
NGC 6231
Also known as: C76
mag 2.615′ across
About
NGC 6231 is an open cluster of magnitude 2.6 in Scorpius, about 15′ across.
How to find it
- NGC 6231 is in the constellation Scorpius.
- Best evenings: around mid-July 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 38° 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
- EyesA hazy patch or a knot of faint stars from a dark site.
- Binoculars (10×50)A small knot of stars, partly resolved.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)Dozens of stars, many sharp and some coloured.
For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.
Facts
| Designations | NGC 6231, C76 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Magnitude | 2.6The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 15′the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 16h 54m 10.9s |
| Declination (J2000) | −41° 49′ 27″ |
More in Scorpius
M7Ptolemy's ClusterOpen cluster · mag 3.3
M6Butterfly ClusterOpen cluster · mag 4.2
NGC 6124Open clustermag 5.8
M80Globular clustermag 7.2
NGC 6302Bug NebulaPlanetary nebula · mag 9.6
IC 4592Blue Horsehead NebulaReflection nebula · mag 3.9
NGC 6281Moth Wing ClusterOpen cluster · mag 5.4Sources 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 →