- M 75 (NGC 6864)
M 75 is a faint globular cluster located along the western edge of the constellation Sagittarius. Its small size (7 arc-min diameter) and low brightness (visual magnitude 8.6) renders the cluster as a small softly glowing ball in small telescopes. At a distance of 77,840 LY, it is the second most distant globular cluster in Messier's list (after M 54). M 75 has a physical diameter of around 160 LY and contains the equivalent of around 500,000 Solar masses. The brightest stars in the cluster reach a visual magnitude of 14.6.
M 75 was discovered by Pierre Mechain on the 27th of August, 1780. It was later observed by Messier on the 5th and 18th of October in that same year.
|