💫 M20 (Trifid Nebula)
Object data
| Type | Emission nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension | 18h02m22.9s (270.5955°) |
| Declination | -23°01'48" (-23.0300°) |
| Magnitude | mag 6.3 |
| Apparent size | 28′ |
| Other designations | NGC 6514 |
An emission nebula in Sagittarius, called the Trifid Nebula because dark lanes divide it into three parts.
Midnight transit date (best season to observe and image)
Location: Tokyo (change)
The date it transits around midnight (transit altitude about 31°)
This date has already passed this year. Next year (2027) it will be around Jun 18.
For about 2–3 weeks either side of this date, the object stays high from evening to dawn — its observing season.
Best time to observe tonight
Tonight (Oct 11 evening – Oct 12 dawn) · Location: Tokyo (full darkness = end of astronomical dusk to start of dawn, altitude ≥ 15°)
Moon tonight: New moon (age 29.2 days, 0% illuminated) — Little moonlight — a good time for faint objects
Hours of full darkness (end of astronomical dusk to start of dawn) when it is above 15° — the darkest sky, mostly clear of buildings and trees.
Sunset 17:11 → Dusk 18:36 → Dawn 4:19 → Sunrise 5:44