Messier 4

RA:

16:23:35.22

Dec:

-26:31:32.7

Distance from Sun:

7.2 kly

Distance from Galactic Center:

19.2 kly

Apparent Diameter:

36.0 arc min

Brightness:

5.63 mag vis

Radial Velocity:

+70.7 +/- 0.2 km/s

Diameter:

55 ly

Abs. Mag:

-7.19 Mag vis

Globular Cluster M4 was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1746, and independently found by Abbe Nicholas Louis de la Caille in 1751-2. Charles Messier cataloged it on May 8, 1764.

At 7,200 light years, it is the nearest globular cluster to our solar system.

M4 lies at only 1.3 deg distance west of bright Antares. Situated closely nearby is fainter NGC 6144 which is only 50' to the ENE.

• More on M4 (SEDS Messier Database)
• Catalog of Variable Stars in M4 (Christine Clement)