Map of the Universe

M22

Globular cluster · Elliptical globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius

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M22
Picture: ESA/Hubble & NASA, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

About M22

M22 is about 10,763 light-years from the Sun, so the light we see from it left about 10,763 years ago.

It is 16,641 light-years from the centre of the Milky Way.

The map lists it as a globular cluster and shows it among the stars around the Sun, drawn on the plane of the Milky Way.

Key numbers

Distance10,763 light-years (3.30 kpc)
Distance from the Galactic centre16,641 light-years
Galactic coordinatesl = 9.89°, b = -7.55°
Absolute magnitude (V)-8.6
Stellar mass4.68 × 10⁵ suns
Half-light radius10 light-years

Data: Local Volume Database v1.1.1 (Pace 2025).

Where it is

Its place in the universe, from the inside out: Scutum–Centaurus Arm › Milky Way › Local Group › Virgo Supercluster › Laniakea Supercluster › Observable universe.

Zoom out to see it in context: Local Arm, a view about 12,000 light-years across.

From Wikipedia

Messier 22 or M22, also known as NGC 6656 or the Great Sagittarius Cluster, is an elliptical globular cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius, near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars visible in the night sky.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Messier 22, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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