Messier 26 - The Open Cluster in Scutum

Messier 26 is known for being the faintest open cluster in the Messier Catalog. With an apparent magnitude of 8.9, it is not visible to the naked eye. This open cluster is located in the constellation Scutum, at a distance of about 5,000 light-years from our Earth. Because of its low brightness and its location near the core of the Milky Way, it is quite difficult to find with for example, a DSLR camera or binoculars. Luckily, I use a telescope equipped with an ASIAIR that can do plate solving, so locating it was not an issue for me. Finding the time to capture it during my Messier Marathon was a bigger challenge.

I have also read that near the center of the cluster there is a dark dust lane that partially blocks the light coming toward us, which makes Messier 26 even harder to find.

I captured this image during a Messier Marathon in August 2025.