M7 has been known since antiquity; it was first recorded by the 2nd-century Greek-Roman astronomer Ptolemy, who described it as a nebula in 130 AD.
(Well nevermind, he also thought the Earth was the centre of the universe, which revolved around it!)
Italian astronomer Giovanni Batista Hodierna observed it before 1654 and counted 30 stars in it.
In 1764, French astronomer Charles Messier catalogued the cluster as the seventh member in his list of comet-like objects.
English astronomer John Herschel described it as "coarsely scattered clusters of stars".
Anyway, it's pretty darned amazing looking up into the core of the Milky way and gazing in wonder at the sea of stars behind M7.
Whoever said that "there are more stars in the sky then grains of sand on all the beaches on all the earth" needs only to show a disbeliever this photo!
Bowie fans will recognise the Starman himself, dancing above the cluster!
Here he is!
5 hrs data, taken from light pollutionville, Melbourne, Australia.
