NGC 5986 (GC)
Globular Cluster in Lupus
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15h 46m 04.5s | -37° 47′ 12.4″ | 5.0′ | 6.9 | 10.2 | VII | GC | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 15′ × 15′
Background
NGC 5986 is a moderately bright globular cluster 33,000 light-years away in Lupus. A typical Galactic-halo globular with a relatively loose central concentration.
My Observing Notes
25-cm (Meade 10-inch LX200, The Coffee Grinder): Find at the intersection of two imaginary lines — one through ζ/η Lup, another perpendicular down from δ Lup. With the 35 mm a compact core with halo (mag 8.2). Doesn't fully resolve at this aperture; averted vision begins to reveal brighter halo stars giving a grainy appearance. A bright star marks the top edge of the halo.(Saturday, August 2025)
References
Charts
Ultra-wide view (~25° field)
Wide-field view with Telrad rings (4°, 2°, 0.5°)
Finderscope view (9×50 RACI, ~4.4° TFOV)
Eyepiece view — 35 mm Panoptic on 12-inch f/5 (1.6° TFOV)