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VA, US
39°/-77.5°
GMT -4
Waxing20:24 - 05:54
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M23: Rise, Set, Nighttime Path

M23

M23 Daily Motion


M23 will be visible until September, 23, 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.

M23 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M23 Rise14:31
Sunset19:1632°
M23 transit19:2532°
Civil sunset19:4432°
Astrosession begin20:2430°
M23 Set00:19
Astrosession end05:54-62°

M23 Sky Tracker Map

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M23 changing position in the night sky.

M23 - Open Cluster

M23 is an open cluster located in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. The cluster contains a rich population of stars of various ages and types.

M23 spans about 20 light-years across and contains around 150 stars. The cluster is approximately 2,150 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 5.5, making it visible to the naked eye under dark skies and easily seen with binoculars or a small telescope.

M23 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M23 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

M23 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

M23 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

M23 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 M23

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Object nameM23
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M23 coordinates17.95133, -18.98533
Center coordinates17.95133, -18.98533

M23 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M23

Time20:24
Latitude39.0469
Longitude-77.4903
M23 elevation30°
M23 Azimuth164°
Here you can see the current position of the M23 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M23's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M23

Time
DateTue, 17 September 2024
Twighlight start20:45
Twighlight end05:21
Twighlight duration9h 36m
Rise14:27
Set00:15
Elevation at transit32°
Transit time19:21
Equatorial coordinateRA: 17h 57m 04s, Dec: -18° 59' 07"
Magnitude6
ConstellationSagittarius
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M23, 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 M23 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.