Messier 18
M18 is an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a widely spread poor cluster with fewer than a couple of dozen members, about 5000 light-years away and quite young, only around 30 million years old.

A nice open cluster. The primary structure is 2 lines of stars leading into a trapezoid of 4 stars with some others stars around this. In a 8-inc scope you can count about 20 bright stars. This is in the midst of quite a field of stars, so it is rather hard to decide where the cluster leaves off and field stars start.

    M18
    NGC 6613
    Other description: Open cluster bright scattered.
    Constellation: Sagittarius
    Dreyer description: Cluster, sparse in stars, very little compressed; = M18.
    Magnitude: 6.9
    RA: 18h 20m 09.4s Dec: -17°08'01"
    RA: 18h 19m 54.0s Dec: -17°08'00" (Epoch 2000)
    Azm: 153°49'17" Alt: +22°36'59"
    Rise: 20:23 Transit: 01:15 Set: 06:03
    Size: 9.0'
RASC Charlottetown Centre