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C75

NGC 6124

Open Cluster Showpiece (86/100)
C75 OpenCluster Scorpius Visible Level 1 Naked eye / Binoculars - Wide field preferred
Credit: Legacy Surveys / D.Lang (Perimeter Institute) & Meli thev. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 5.8
Angular Size 13.5′
Distance 1500 ly
Open Cluster [Distance: 1500 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 16h 28m 58.3s
Dec -40° 39' 36.0"
Constellation Scorpius
Catalog C75

Visibility

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Survey Image

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About C75

Description

NGC 6124 is a large, bright open cluster in Scorpius, about 1,600 light-years away. It contains about 100 stars spread across 29 arcminutes, with the brightest members at magnitude 8-9.

Observing Tips

A fine cluster for binoculars and small telescopes. The large angular size is best appreciated at low power. Several color contrasts among the brighter stars. Located in the rich Scorpius Milky Way. Best in summer evenings.

History

Discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751 from South Africa. One of many southern clusters discovered during his pioneering sky survey.

Fun Facts

NGC 6124 is about 140 million years old, old enough that some of its stars have evolved into orange and red giants, providing nice color contrast against the blue-white main-sequence members.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Legacy Surveys / D.Lang (Perimeter Institute) & Meli thev. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Legacy Surveys / D.Lang (Perimeter Institute) & Meli thev. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026