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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M22
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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
Your location: Santa Clara, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
37.3541
Longitude:
-121.955

M22 Position and Visibility Tonight

M22

Where is M22 right now?

M22 is located in the constellation Sagittarius. At the current time, it is above the horizon at an altitude of 16 degrees toward the southwest from your location, with an apparent magnitude of 6.17.
Twilight begins at 02:58 local time, and at that moment, M22 will appear at an altitude of 16 degrees toward the southwest.

M22 Visibility on March 04

M22 Not Visible Tonight

M22 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M22 transit05:5829°
M22 set10:38
Moon Rise, 99.7% illuminated 16:38-69°
Astrosession begin17:30-75°
M22 rise01:14
Astrosession end03:0817°
Civil sunrise04:0824°
Sunrise04:3526°
Moon Set05:1028°

Track M22 Position Throughout the Night

← Wed, 4 March 2026 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M22 changing position in the night sky.

M22 - Sagittarius Cluster

The Sagittarius Cluster (M22) is a globular cluster located in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Abraham Ihle in 1665 and included in Messier's catalog in 1764. M22 is one of the brightest and closest globular clusters to Earth.

M22 spans about 97 light-years across and contains over 100,000 stars. The cluster is approximately 10,600 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 5.1, making it visible to the naked eye and easily seen with binoculars or a small telescope.

M22 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M22 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

M22 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

M22 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

M22 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 M22

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameM22
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M22 coordinates18.60672, -23.90342
Center coordinates18.60672, -23.90342

M22 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M22

Time02:58
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
M22 elevation16°
M22 Azimuth-139°
Here you can see the current position of the M22 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M22's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M22


M22 will be visible until December, 14, 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.
Time
DateThu, 5 March 2026
Twighlight start17:26
Twighlight end03:01
Twighlight duration10h 34m
Rise01:10
Set10:30
Elevation at transit29°
Transit time05:50
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 18h 36m 24s", Dec: -23° 54' 12s
Magnitude6
ConstellationSagittarius
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M22, 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 M22 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.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric & Physical Parameters of M22

Coordinates & Visibility

Right Ascension18.60672°
Declination-23.90342°
Magnitude6.17
ConstellationSagittarius
Elevation16°
Azimuth-138.6°

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.