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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M13

Hercules Globular Cluster (M13) Observation Details

M13

M13 Daily Motion


M13 will be visible until November, 26, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.

M13 Visibility Timetable on January 22

Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M13 transit09:0886°
Sunset17:370°
M13 set17:40
Astrosession begin19:13-9°
M13 rise00:33
Moon Rise, 46.2% illuminated01:379°
Astrosession end06:1356°
Civil sunrise07:1869°
Sunrise07:4975°
Moon Set11:5057°

Track M13 Position Throughout the Night

← Wed, 22 January 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M13 changing position in the night sky.

M13 - Great Hercules Cluster

The Great Hercules Cluster (M13) is a globular cluster located in the constellation Hercules. It was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1714 and included in Messier's catalog in 1764. M13 is one of the most prominent and well-known globular clusters in the northern hemisphere.

M13 spans about 145 light-years across and contains several hundred thousand stars. The cluster is approximately 22,200 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 5.8, making it visible to the naked eye under dark skies and easily seen with binoculars or a small telescope.

M13 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M13 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M13 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M13 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M13 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

The photos are taken from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under NASA contract, using data from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for M13

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Object nameM13
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M13 coordinates16.6949, 36.46131
Center coordinates16.6949, 36.46131

M13 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M13

Time19:14
Latitude39.9625
Longitude-83.0061
M13 elevation-9°
M13 Azimuth23°
Here you can see the current position of the M13 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M13's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M13

Time
DateThu, 23 January 2025
Twighlight start19:14
Twighlight end06:11
Twighlight duration11h 58m
Rise00:33
Set17:36
Elevation at transit86°
Transit time09:05
Equatorial coordinateRA: 16h 41m 41s", Dec: 36° 27' 40s
Magnitude6
ConstellationHercules
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M13, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M13 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.

Data Credits

The nebulae information on this page is sourced from the OpenNGC project, developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed data on the NGC catalog, which is a valuable resource for exploring deep-sky objects such as nebulae.

For more details or to contribute to OpenNGC, visit the official GitHub repository: OpenNGC on GitHub.