About NGC 5904 (M5)

NGC 5904 is frequently observed by amateur astronomers and presents itself as a diffuse object. It is relatively bright.

Current visibility

Right now it is at about 9° altitude and reaches 88° around 11:35 PM.

It stays above 30° for roughly 8 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

Serpens Caput

Distance

24500 ly

Size

19.9'

Season

Summer

Difficulty

Very Easy

Magnitude

5.6