Where is M17 right now?
M17 is located in the constellation Sagittarius. It is currently above the horizon at an altitude of 3° toward the south-west, with an apparent magnitude of 7.00.
Where and When to Look for M17 Tonight
The highest sampled position of M17 is near 17:00: 32° above the horizon toward the south-west. Status: Twilight.
How M17 Moves Across the Sky
During this 24-hour period, M17 moves from the south-east, reaches its highest sampled position at 36° toward the south, and finishes toward the south-east.
Track M17 position throughout the night
← 23 October 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe M17 changing position in the night sky.
Astrometric and Physical Parameters of M17
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Elevation | 3° |
| Direction | south-west (247°) |
| Magnitude | 7 |
M17 Passage Through Night
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Current position of M17
| Time | 20:14 |
| Latitude | 37.3541 |
| Longitude | -121.955 |
| Elevation | 3° |
| Azimuth | 247° |
Here you can see the current position of M17 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.
M17 Position by Hour
Select a row to move both interactive maps to that time.
| Time | Elevation | Azimuth | Direction | Visibility | RA | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 12:00 | 18° | 128° | south-east | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 13:00 | 27° | 141° | south-east | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 14:00 | 33° | 156° | south-east | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 15:00 | 36° | 173° | south | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 16:00 | 36° | 191° | south | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 17:00 | 32° | 208° | south-west | Best view | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 18:00 | 25° | 222° | south-west | Visible | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 19:00 | 16° | 234° | south-west | Visible | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 20:00 | 6° | 245° | south-west | Very low | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 21:00 | -6° | 254° | south-west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 22:00 | -17° | 263° | west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 22, 23:00 | -29° | 271° | west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 00:00 | -41° | 281° | north-west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 01:00 | -52° | 295° | north-west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 02:00 | -62° | 314° | north-west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 03:00 | -68° | 346° | north-west | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 03:56 — Astronomical night ends | -67° | 23° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 04:00 | -67° | 25° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 04:26 — Twilight end | -64° | 39° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 04:57 — Civil sunrise | -60° | 52° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 05:00 | -60° | 53° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 05:24 — Sunrise | -55° | 61° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 06:00 | -49° | 70° | north-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 07:00 | -37° | 82° | east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 08:00 | -25° | 91° | east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 09:00 | -14° | 100° | east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 10:00 | -2° | 109° | south-east | Below horizon | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 11:00 | 9° | 118° | south-east | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |
| Oct 23, 12:00 | 19° | 129° | south-east | Daylight | 18h 20m | −16° 10′ |