Globular Cluster Palomar 7 (IC 1276)
History
This globular cluster was discovered by American astronomer Lewis Swift on 10 April 1889 using the 16-inch Refractor at Warner Observatory, Rochester. Dreyer added it in 1895 as IC 1276 to his first «Index Catalogue» with the description: «Most extremely faint, very large, very difficult, double star close preceding.» [277, 314]
In 1952 the cluster was rediscovered by George Abell on the photo plates of the «Palomar Observatory Sky Survey» (POSS). In the list of 13 globular clusters it was listed as number 7, hence it also became known as Palomar 7. Abell noted: «Rich; highly obscured.» [331]
Physical Properties
| Designation | IC 1276 |
| Type | GCL (XII) |
| Right Ascension (J2000.0) | 18h 10m 45.7s |
| Declination (J2000.0) | -07° 12' 40" |
| Diameter | 8 arcmin |
| Visual magnitude | 10.3 mag |
| Metric Distance | 5.400 kpc |
| Dreyer Description | eeF, vL, v diffic, D * close p |
| Identification, Remarks | GCL 90; Pal 7 |
Finder Chart
The globular cluster IC 1276 is located in the constellation Serpens. The constellation is best observable in the months of March to September.
