About NGC 6397 (C86)

NGC 6397 is frequently observed by amateur astronomers and is visible as a compact luminous region. It is relatively bright.

Current visibility

It is currently below the horizon.

It stays above 30° for roughly 4 hours.

Observing conditions matter, contrast improves away from light pollution.

Observing tips

It is often recommended as an entry-level object.

What to expect

With larger apertures, more structure becomes visible.

Type

Globular Cluster

Constellation

Ara

Distance

7800 ly

Size

Season

Summer

Difficulty

Easy

Magnitude

5.7