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M53
globular cluster in Coma Berenices
M53 is a distant globular cluster in Coma Berenices, far out in the halo of the Milky Way, away from the dust of the disc. It is compact and bright for its distance, and a fainter neighbor, NGC 5053, sits about a degree away.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- M53
- Type
- globular cluster
- Constellation
- Coma Berenices
- Size
- 13′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7.6
- Distance
- about 58,000 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Apr
- Typical prime months
- Jan to Jun
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- No filter (broadband)
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How to image M53
- NGC 5053 is a loose, faint globular close by. A frame of about 1.5 degrees (around 600 mm on APS-C) can show both.
- Its distance means individual stars are faint, so a longer total exposure helps the halo.
- It is well placed in spring evenings and sits in a clean, dark part of the sky.
Framing: what focal length?
M53 is small, so a "60% of the frame" focal length would be impractical. Here is how much of an APS-C frame it covers at common long focal lengths; expect to crop.
| Focal length | Share of the frame width |
|---|---|
| 1,000 mm | about 16% |
| 2,000 mm | about 32% |
| 3,000 mm | about 48% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point M53 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 53° | Workable |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 63° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 73° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 83° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 37° | Workable |
Also worth imaging
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