BEAUTY: 
BRAGGING RIGHTS: A beautiful sight
HOW EASY IS IT TO SEE? Best with binoculars or small telescope
BEST TIME TO SEE IT: Summer (in Scorpius)
TYPE: Globular Cluster
DISCOVERED: 1746 by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux
In the glare of Antares. Find this beautiful globular cluster on summer days when Scorpius is high in the south. With binoculars or a small telescope, point to Scorpius’s brightest star, Antares, then slew a little more than a degree west to find Messier 4. Though its proximity to Antares makes it easy to find, the red giant’s glare washes out the cluster’s light. Unlike the tight cores of Messier 5 and Messier 13, this cluster has a looser core. Using higher power and larger scopes brings out more stars, but even small instruments can reveal much detail. Two other globular clusters are nearby. Messier 80, a fainter but tighter globular, is about three degrees away to the northwest. In the other direction, much closer to Antares, you’ll find NGC 6144; moderate telescopes (and experienced observers) should be able to spot it. Can you see it?
