NGC 6362 (GC)
Globular Cluster in Ara
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17h 31m 57.3s | -67° 02′ 43.9″ | 10.0′ | 8.9 | 13.6 | X | GC | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 15′ × 15′
Background
NGC 6362 is a sparse, low-surface-brightness globular cluster 25,000 light-years away in Ara. Around 13 billion years old and one of the oldest globulars known, with a relatively low central star concentration making it an interesting structural counterpart to denser globulars.
My Observing Notes
25-cm (Meade 10-inch LX200, The Coffee Grinder): Find via the intersection of two perpendicular lines: one through α and β Trianguli Australis, the other through α and β Arae. Much fainter than NGC 6397 — even brightness without a distinctively brighter core. Only the brighter stars resolve; an otherwise dim, grainy appearance, with a bright star marking the field top-left.(Friday, June 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)