Globular Cluster NGC 6356

History

This globular cluster was discovered by William Herschel on 17 June 1784 and listed as bright nebula I 48. He noted: «Bright, large, round, gradually brighter in the middle, easily resolvable.» [463] From the Cape of Good Hope, John Herschel observed it during sweep 699 on 18 May 1836 and recorded it as h 3683 with the notes: «Globular cluster, very bright; round; very gradually very much brighter in the middle; 90" resolved into stars barely resolvable with left eye. A beautiful softly shaded object.» [11]

Physical Properties

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
Designation NGC 6356
Type GCL (II)
Right Ascension (J2000.0) 17h 23m 35.0s
Declination (J2000.0) -17° 48' 45"
Diameter 10 arcmin
Visual magnitude 8.2 mag
Metric Distance 15.100 kpc
Dreyer Description globular, vB, cL, vgvmbM, rrr, st 20
Identification, Remarks WH I 48; h 3683; GC 4296; GCL 62; ESO 588-SC1

Finder Chart

The globular cluster NGC 6356 is located in the constellation Ophiuchus, circa 1° northeast of globular cluster Messier 9. On 11 June it is in opposition to the Sun. From Switzerland it can best be seen in the months March to August.

Finder Chart Globular Cluster NGC 6356
Globular Cluster NGC 6356 in constellation Ophiuchus. Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. [149, 160]

Objects Within a Radius of 10°

References

  • [11] «Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope ... : being the completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825» Herschel, John F. W.; London : published by Smith, Elder and Co., 1847; DOI:10.3931/e-rara-22242
  • [149] SkySafari 6 Pro, Simulation Curriculum; skysafariastronomy.com
  • [160] The STScI Digitized Sky Survey; archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form
  • [277] «Historische Deep-Sky Kataloge» von Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke; klima-luft.de/steinicke (2021-02-17)
  • [463] «Catalogue of one thousand new nebulae and clusters of stars» William Herschel, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1 January 1786; DOI:10.1098/rstl.1786.0027