Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) Position and Visibility Tonight

Where is Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) right now?

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) is located in the constellation Scorpius. Although Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) is currently 43° above the horizon, it is not visible because it is daytime.
Twilight begins at 18:33 local time. At that moment, Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) will be 29° above the horizon toward the south-west.

Open the interactive guide to Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7)’s position and path tonight

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) tonight

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) visibility on 2026-11-04

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) Visible from sunset until before midnight

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) rise and set timetable

	Time	Elevation
Moonrise, 27.3% illuminated	01:50	-52°
Moonset	14:12	54°
Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) transit	14:58	55°
Sunset	17:46	38°
Civil sunset	18:08	34°
Twilight start (−12°)	18:33	29°
Astronomical observing session begins	18:58	24°
Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) set	20:57
Astronomical observing session ends	04:28	-49°
Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) rise	08:55

Track Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) position throughout the night

← 4 November 2026 →

Time
Altitude
Azimuth

Shift the map to change the time and observe Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) changing position in the night sky.

M7 - Ptolemy's Cluster

Ptolemy's Cluster (M7) is an open cluster located in the constellation Scorpius. It was known to ancient astronomers and included in Messier's catalog in 1764. The cluster is named after the Greek-Roman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, who mentioned it in his writings around 130 AD.

M7 spans about 25 light-years across and contains around 100 stars. The cluster is approximately 980 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 3.3, making it visible to the naked eye and easily seen with binoculars or a small telescope.

M7 — Image Gallery

DSS Blue

Blue images highlight younger, hotter stars that emit strongly at blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

Red images reveal older, cooler stars and emission nebulae glowing strongly in hydrogen-alpha light.

DSS Near-Infrared

Near-infrared images penetrate dust that obscures visible light and reveal hidden structures.

DSS Composite Image

DSS color images combine blue, red and often near-infrared exposures into a composite view.

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

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

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) Passage Through Night

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Current position of Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7)

Time	12:42
Latitude	0
Longitude	0
Elevation	43°
Azimuth	141°

Here you can see the current position of Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) 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.

When Is Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) Visible Throughout the Year?

Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) will become visible again around February 5 after moving far enough from the Sun.

Date	Thu, 5 November 2026
Astronomical observing session begins	18:55
Astronomical observing session ends	04:24
Astronomical observing duration	9h 29m
Rise	08:55
Set	20:53
Elevation at transit	55°
Transit time	14:54
Equatorial coordinates	RA: 17h 53m 51s", Dec: -34° 47' 34s
Magnitude	3
Constellation	Scorpius

The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7), including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also see when Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7) is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Right Ascension	17h 53m 51s
Declination	-34° 47′ 34″
Magnitude	3.3
Constellation	Scorpius
Elevation	42.9°
Azimuth	141.1°

Observation Settings