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AsteriaStar
Globular cluster · Ophiuchus

NGC 6316

Deep skyNGC 6316

Scientific overview

NGC 6316 is a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.03 and spans about 4.8 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Summer (S. evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Southern

Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.

Location in the sky

Constellation
Ophiuchus
RA / Dec
17.2771h / -28.14°
Hemisphere
Southern
Season
Summer

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD · NGC 6316

Radial velocity99.1 ± 0.8 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)259.155917 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-28.14 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2018MNRAS.478.1520B · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2006MNRAS.365.1357D · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2006MNRAS.365.1357D · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11

Physical size is derived from the OpenNGC angular size and the catalogued distance (small-angle: size = angle × distance). This is a Galactic object: its Doppler shift is shown as a radial velocity, not a cosmological redshift. Fields a source did not provide are omitted, never invented.

ObjectTypeMagSize (′)
IC 4665Open cluster4.224.6
NGC 6633NGC 6633Open cluster4.612
M 10M 10 · NGC 6254Globular cluster4.989.3
rho Oph NebulaNebula5.160
M 19M 19 · NGC 6273Globular cluster5.577.5
M 14M 14 · NGC 6402Globular cluster5.739.9
M 12M 12 · NGC 6218Globular cluster6.0711.1
NGC 6235NGC 6235Globular cluster7.24.2

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • OpenNGCOpenNGC (M. Verga) — NGC/IC, Messier, and Caldwell catalogue data

    Openly-licensed deep-sky catalogue: object types, positions, magnitudes, sizes, morphology, and cross-identifiers.