Caldwell 42 — Globular Cluster in Delphinus
NGC 7006
About C42
Description
NGC 7006 is a globular cluster in Delphinus, about 135,000 light-years from Earth. It is one of the most distant globular clusters in the Milky Way's halo, lying well beyond the main body of the galaxy.
Observing Tips
A small, faint, unresolved glow in an 8-inch telescope. Appears stellar at low power. It cannot be resolved into individual stars with amateur telescopes due to its great distance. Best in summer and autumn evenings.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on August 21, 1784. Its extreme distance and retrograde orbit suggest it may have been captured from a dwarf galaxy long ago.
Fun Facts
NGC 7006 has a retrograde orbit around the Milky Way, moving opposite to the galaxy's rotation. This retrograde motion supports the theory that it originated in a satellite galaxy that was consumed by the Milky Way.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Medium | Hard+ | Hard |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Easy | Medium+ | Medium |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Easy | Medium+ |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Eyepiece View
5
Best Magnification
Explore
6
Classification Decoder
Discover
7
Light Travel Time Machine
8
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: NASA Hubble. License: CC BY 2.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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