Go / no go for deep skyGo / no go for deep sky imaging
M69
globular cluster in Sagittarius
M69 is a small globular cluster in Sagittarius, about three degrees from M70, and the two can share a wide frame. Both lie in a part of the sky that is very low for northern observers.
Save your telescope or lens on the planner to lay your camera frame over this diagram.
// Key facts
- Catalog
- M69
- Type
- globular cluster
- Constellation
- Sagittarius
- Size
- 10′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7.6
- Distance
- about 29,700 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Jun
- Typical prime months
- Apr to Sep
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Filter
- No filter (broadband)
Pick a saved location or share your device location. Your coordinates are used only to calculate tonight and are not stored. To save locations, use the planner.
How to image M69
- A wide frame of about 3.5 degrees captures M69 and M70 together.
- At dec -32 it is best for southern latitudes. Expect heavy atmosphere from northern sites.
- Use short exposures to protect the dense cores.
Framing: what focal length?
M69 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 12% |
| 2,000 mm | about 25% |
| 3,000 mm | about 37% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point M69 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) | 3° | Stays low |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 13° | Stays low |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 23° | Stays low |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 33° | Workable |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 87° | High in the sky |
Also worth imaging
Want a GO / NO-GO verdict for tonight, with clouds, moon, seeing and a full dark-window timeline?
Open the planner