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Reflection nebula · Sagittarius

NGC 6590

Deep skyNGC 6590

Scientific overview

NGC 6590 is a reflection nebula in the constellation Sagittarius. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.8 and spans about 4 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Medium telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 150–200 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
Sagittarius
RA / Dec
18.2847h / -19.8661°
Hemisphere
Southern
Season
Summer

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD · NGC 6590

Right ascension (ICRS)274.275 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-19.865 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2003A&A...399..141M · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2003A&A...399..141M · 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 (′)
M 25M 25Open cluster4.614.1
NGC 6530NGC 6530Cluster with nebulosity4.66
M 23M 23 · NGC 6494Open cluster5.516.8
Lagoon NebulaM 8 · NGC 6523Nebula5.845
M 21M 21 · NGC 6531Open cluster5.96
M 22M 22 · NGC 6656Globular cluster6.1712.6
M 55M 55 · NGC 6809Globular cluster6.4912
M 18M 18 · NGC 6613Open cluster6.96

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.