M4 Globular Star Cluster

M4 is one of the larger globular star clusters in the Milky Way, and it’s the closest to our home on Planet Earth. Caltech Observatory estimates the number of stars at about two hundred thousand, but they are much more spread out than star clusters we enjoy such as M15 and M13. Its also strangely poor of giant stars. M4 lies very close (1.4 degrees) to the red giant star Antares in the constellation Scorpius, down to our South this time of year in June. Though Messier does not get the credit for discovering this cluster, as P.L. de Cheseaux found it in 1746 However, it was Messier who recorded it as one of the first objects in his new Messier catalog he was making. It can be seen with binoculars fairly easily from dark locations. Just look slightly right of the large red star in Scorpius. The cluster is not standing still but is zipping away from us at 39 miles per second, which in the galactic speedometer is quite slow.