Introduction | Map | Find/Identify | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | References || Appendix: My Own Photos
On this page I collect my observations of the globular star cluster M 2 (NGC 7089) in the constellation Aquarius.
M 2 is a globular star cluster that is located in the constellation Aquarius. It is not far away from the globular star cluster M 15 in constellation Pegasus.
M 2 (NGC 7089)
Size: 6' (Stoyan), 10' (Karkoschka)
Distance: 37,000 light years
(Stoyan)
Rating: *** (Stoyan).
Comment from HTT Skyguide 2008 (translated by DeepL and me): On perfectly clear nights, M 2 may even be visible as a star-shaped object. Equipped with binoculars, a slightly diffuse "star" can be found at its position. Up to apertures of about 4-5", single stars cannot be resolved even at higher magnifications. They are consistently much fainter in direct comparison with M 13. Only a single star is visible in the foggy border areas of the globular cluster from 3" aperture and 100x magnification on; this is most likely a foreground star. With medium apertures, M 2 falls more and more apart into a lot of weak stars - first in the border area and from 10" on , assuming a corresponding magnification, single stars are resolved to the center.
According to Stoyan, a partial resolution into single stars only succeeds with an aperture of 4" to 5"; the dense central area, however, cannot be resolved even with much larger optics.
(Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)
M 2 in the constellation Aquarius (M 15 in constellation Pegasus is also indicated)
Find: The globular star cluster M 2 in the constellation Aquarius is described in the book "Turn Left at Orion" as "tricky to find", and I had a lot of trouble with finding it, especially when the stars Sadalmelik and Sadalsuud in the constellation Aquarius were hard to recognize (e.g. because they were already too low on the horizon).
M 2 lies on the one hand on an almost straight line between the globular cluster M 15 in Pegasus and the star Sadalsuud, on the other hand west of Sadalmelik. A bit northeast of M 2, there is a small star triangle, which is pointed out in "Turn Left at Orion". Whether it can help you to search for M 2, I cannot say from my own experience.
Perhaps it is easiest to extend the distance from the star Homam to the star Baham, both in Pegasus, straight ahead by the same distance (M 2 is not quite hit...).
Identify: If the globular star cluster M 2 in the constellation Aquarius was found in the way described above, it is also identified. Except for M 15 there are no larger globular star clusters nearby. (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)
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M 2 - Aug 24, 2020 |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 8, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 18, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Nov 14, 2020 |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Oct 23, 2021 |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed and sharpened |
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M 2, Aug 28, 2022 - original (42 frames = 420 seconds) |
M 2, Sep 30, 2022 - original (30 frames = 300 seconds) |
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M 2 - Nov 9, 2021, PS 72/432, Live View |
M 2 - Nov 9, 2021, PS 72/432, Live View |
M 2 - Nov 9, 2021, PS 72/432, Live Stack |
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M 2 - Aug 19, 2020 |
M 2 - Aug 19, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Aug 19, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Aug 24, 2020 |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Aug 24, 2020 |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Aug 24, 2020 |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Aug 24, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 8, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 8, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 8, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 8, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 8, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 18, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Sep 18, 2020 |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Sep 18, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Nov 14, 2020 |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Nov 14, 2020 |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed |
M 2 - Nov 14, 2020, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Oct 23, 2021 |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Oct 23, 2021 |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed |
M 2 - Oct 23, 2021, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Dec 5, 2021 |
M 2 - Dec 5, 2021, exposed manually |
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M 2 - Dec 5, 2021, photo on top processed |
M 2 - Dec 5, 2021, photo on top processed |
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M 2 - Dec 10, 2021 |
M 2 - Dec 10, 2021, photo left processed |
M 2 - Dec 10, 2021, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Dec 10, 2021, exposed manually |
M 2 - Dec 10, 2021, photo left processed |
M 2 - Dec 10, 2021, processed and sharpened |
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M 2 - Nov 24, 2022 |
M 2 - Dec 17, 2023, poor collimation |
M 2 - Dec 17, 2023, better collimation |
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M 2 - Nov 24, 2022, photo on top processed |
M 2 - Dec 17, 2023, photo on top processed |
M 2 - Dec 17, 2023, photo on top processed |
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M 2, Aug 28, 2022 - original (42 frames = 420 seconds) |
M 2, Sep 30, 2022 - original (30 frames = 300 seconds) |