M 5 Globular Cluster

Photo by Pittendreigh

REMARKS: Discovered by Gottfried Kirch in 1702. There are over 100 variable stars in this cluster with periods of about half a day.

DIFFICULTY RATING: 2

HOW TO FIND IT:

Scan between Alpha Serpens and Mu Virgo.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

This is a great globular cluster -- one of the finest! With over half a million stars, this one will be just barely visible to the unaided eye.

In binoculars or a telescope, you should see a disk with a bright center.

JASON BINOCULARS 7X 15X 35
M5 appears as a faint, diffuse ball of light. No central core is visible, whether with direct or averted vision. The central region appears as a slightly brighter.

QUESTAR 3.5
M5 appears as a large, bright, ball of stars. The surface of the cluster is noticeably mottled. The brightness of the surface appears consistent across the entire surface of the cluster. Many stars are resolved around the edge and across the surface of the cluster.