M15
Where is M15?
Look south, about 51° up at 21:38 in Pegasus.
- Rises
- 14:27
- Highest
- 21:33
- Sets
- 04:39
- Best after dark
- 21:38 · 51°
Can I see M15 tonight?
From London tonight, M15 is above the horizon after dark. It’s highest after dark at 21:38, in the south at 51°.
At magnitude 6.2, with its light spread out, it needs binoculars and a dark sky.
This is position and timing only: clouds, haze and light pollution aren’t included.
What does M15 look like?
Eyes
Not usually visible to the eye.
Binoculars
A fuzzy star, clearly not a point.
Telescope
A bright, compact ball with a brilliant core. Larger telescopes resolve the outer stars.
About M15
M15 is a bright, dense globular cluster in Pegasus, about 33,000 light-years away. It has one of the most tightly packed cores of any globular cluster in our galaxy.
M15 also contains a planetary nebula, Pease 1, one of very few known inside a globular cluster.
M15 was discovered by Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746. It is one of the oldest globular clusters known, around 12 billion years old, and contains many variable stars and several pulsars.
Its core has collapsed into an extremely dense concentration of stars. Whether it hides a medium-sized black hole is still debated.
The planetary nebula inside it, Pease 1, was found in 1928. It is a challenge even for large amateur telescopes.
From mid-northern latitudes M15 is well placed on autumn evenings, when Pegasus is high in the south. Its bright, star-like core makes it stand out even in small telescopes and through moderate light pollution.
Nearby in the sky
Questions
What makes M15 special?
Sources: SkyMate; star chart: Wikidata (CC0). Positions computed for your place and time with astronomy-engine. Data & Licences