Astrotempo
EN
Astrotempo

Language

    Type a name: Jupiter, Orion, M42, Perseids, a city. Ctrl+K or / opens search on any page.

    Globular cluster in Sagittarius

    M55 (NGC 6809)

    Photo: NASA, ESA, A. Sarajedini (Florida Atlantic University), and M. Libralato (STScI, ESA, JWST); Image Processing: Gladys Kober

    From New York on October 13, 2026, M55 rises at 3:08 PM in the SE, is highest at 7:08 PM (18° above the horizon in the S) and sets at 11:07 PM in the SW.

    Rises 3:08 PMSE
    Highest 7:08 PM 18° S
    Sets 11:07 PMSW

    In the 3D sky

    The sky over New York turned towards M55. Drag to look around.

    Loading 3D view...

    12:07 PMTue, Oct 13

    Drag to look around, pinch or scroll to zoom.

    Evening visibility over the year

    Height of M55 above the horizon at 10 pm local time on the 15th of each month, from New York.

    0°30°60°90°Oct: 7°OctNov: -20°NovDec: -41°DecJan: -64°JanFeb: -80°FebMar: -75°MarApr: -53°AprMay: -30°MayJun: -9°JunJul: 7°JulAug: 17°AugSep: 17°Sep

    Facts

    TypeGlobular cluster
    Brightness (magnitude)6.5
    Size in the sky12 arcminutes
    ConstellationSagittarius
    Position (J2000)19h 39m 59s, −30° 57′ 44″
    Other designationsNGC 6809

    Hubble’s view

    Field is filled with white stars, smattered with blue-white and reddish-orange stars. Stars are concentrated at the center of the image. All are on a black background.
    Hubble often shows only part of a large object. Through binoculars or a small telescope it looks much fainter and smaller. Photo: NASA, ESA, A. Sarajedini (Florida Atlantic University), and M. Libralato (STScI, ESA, JWST); Image Processing: Gladys Kober

    Finder charts

    A wide field to find the right part of the sky and a closer field with fainter stars. North is up and east on the left.

    CapricornusCorona AustralisMicroscopiumSagittariusM7M6M24M25M23M8M21M16M22M18M28M54M75M69M70M55NE
    50° field, stars to magnitude 5.
    M55NE
    12° field, stars to magnitude 9.

    Nearby Messier objects

    Data: OpenNGC (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: NASA Hubble Messier Catalog, credit as shown. Data sources

    How to use this page

    Choose your place and a night at the top. The page shows when the object is highest and where to look, the 3D sky with it marked, and its visibility through the year. The finder charts help you star-hop to it with binoculars or a small telescope.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I see it with the naked eye?

    The brightest Messier objects, such as the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula, show to the eye under a dark sky. Most others need binoculars or a small telescope, and all of them look best far from city lights.

    Why does it look grey and not colourful like the photo?

    The eye’s colour cells do not work in dim light, so faint objects look grey. Photos collect light for minutes or hours and show colours the eye cannot see.

    When is the best time to look?

    When the object is high in a dark sky and the Moon is down or a thin crescent. The page gives the best time for the night you choose.

    Related guides

    Read the cookie policy