Southernmost Messier object?

kiwidoc66 · #1 22-10-2008, 07:50 PM

Hi all
A calm night in Christchurch with clear Southern skies and 10min to spare with the binos. Easy views of Triffid and Lagoon nebulae and M7. Also found IC2944 in Centaurus. Which got me wondering - what is the southernmost Messier object - since IC2944 is as bright as the others?

kinetic (Steve) · #2 22-10-2008, 07:59 PM

I think it is M7 actually,

regards,
Steve B.

Jeff · #3 22-10-2008, 10:18 PM

I think Steve's correct.

M7 is about 37deg South.

A few others are about 32deg South:
- M69 & M70 ... pathetic little faint globs which, fit for a comet hunter
- M6 butterfly cluster ... nice open cluster ~80 stars with an orange giant

Also, not sure if you saw this list ... kindly posted by glenc earlier in the year.

95 Easy Deep Sky Objects for Southern Observers
Covers declination +41 to –72 (M31 to SMC)
Contains 95 DSO including 42 Messier objects.

Cheers
Jeff

Barrykgerdes · #4 23-10-2008, 08:05 AM

Yes M7 at 268.474 and -34.7965
Barry