M68
NGC 4590
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
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About M68
Description
M68 is a moderately bright globular cluster in Hydra, about 33,600 light-years from Earth. It contains several hundred thousand stars in a sphere about 106 light-years across. The cluster is relatively loose for a globular (concentration class X) and sits far from the galactic center, in the opposite direction from most Milky Way globulars.
Observing Tips
Located about 3.5 degrees southeast of Beta Corvi. It sits relatively low for northern observers and can be tricky to find in a sparse star field. In binoculars it appears as a small, faint fuzzy patch. A 4-inch telescope shows a round, granular glow. An 8-inch telescope at 150x resolves individual stars. Its loose concentration makes it easier to resolve than many other globulars of similar brightness. Best observed from March through May.
History
Discovered by Charles Messier on April 9, 1780. William Herschel resolved it into stars in 1786. Its position far from the galactic center has led to speculation that it may have been captured from a dwarf galaxy.
Fun Facts
M68 is one of the most metal-poor globular clusters in the Milky Way, with iron abundance less than 2% of the Sun's. This extreme chemical poverty means its stars formed from nearly primordial gas, very early in cosmic history. Its retrograde orbit suggests it may have originated outside the Milky Way.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: en:NASA, en:STScI, en:WikiSky. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Feb 28, 2026