Messier 7 Ptolemy's Cluster
M7 consists of about 80 stars brighter mag 10 in a field of about 1.3 degrees apparent diameter which at its distance of perhaps 800 light years corresponds to a linear extension of 18 or 20 light years. The brightest star is a yellow giant (mag 5.6), the hottest main sequence star is of spectral type B6 (mag 5.89). M7's age was estimated at 220 million years

This is a large cluster, filling the field of view even at 49X. It is pretty loose, and contains several bright stars. The cluster looks somewhat like M44 (The Beehive). There are a couple of small chains of stars, along with some doubles and triples. The brightest stars of the cluster seemed to be arranged in a slightly distorted heart shape. Near the center is a small, nearly equilateral triangle of faint stars. By bumping the power up a little, one of these stars actually has a nearby companion of about the same magnitude.

    Ptolemy's Cluster
    M7
    NGC 6475
    Other description: Open cluster bright scattered.
    Constellation: Scorpius
    Dreyer description: Cluster, very bright, westward rich in stars, little compressed, stars of magnitude 7 to 12; = M7.
    Magnitude: 3.3
    RA: 17h 54m 11.8s Dec: -34°49'07"
    RA: 17h 53m 54.0s Dec: -34°49'00" (Epoch 2000)
    Azm: 260°03'48" Alt: -41°50'21"
    Rise: 21:43 Transit: 00:41 Set: 03:44
    Size:80.0'
RASC Charlottetown Centre