Messier 12 or M 12 (also designated NGC 6218) is a globular cluster in the constellation of Ophiuchus. It was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier in 1764, who described it as a “nebula without stars”. In dark conditions this cluster can be faintly seen with a pair of binoculars. Resolving the stellar components requires a telescope with an aperture of 8 in (20 cm) or greater. In a 10 in (25 cm) scope, the granular core shows a diameter of 3′ (arcminutes) surrounded by a 10′ halo of stars.
Object Designations: Messier 12 , M12, NGC 6218
Also known as: (none)
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Object Type: star cluster
Distance: 16,000 light-years away
Magnitude: 6.7
Discovery: Charles Messier
Telescope: Apertura CarbonStar 200 Imaging Newtonian 800mm / F4
Camera: ZWO ASI2600 MC Pro – L-QEF
Mount: Celestron AVX – With CPWI Software
Guiding: Apertura 32mm Guide Scope with a ZWO ASI120MM Camera and PHD2
SharpCap Imaging Software
Processing Software
AstroSharp Ltd SharpCap
Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
GraXpert
Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator
Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator
Russell Croman Astrophotography StarXTerminator
Various scripts
This final image is:
11 – 60 second subs at 100 gain, L-QEF
White Bal (B) = 45
White Bal (R )= 78
Brightness = 12
Camera Temperature = -4
LastPlateSolveData=Plate solve result was RA=16:48:28.6,Dec=-02:03:22 with mount at RA=16:48:28.7,Dec=-02:03:22, FOV 1.756×1.173 degrees, up is 269.64 degrees East of North
