Messier 72 is a globular cluster tucked into the faint constellation Aquarius, one of the sky’s lesser-visited corners. At magnitude 9.4, it is the dimmest of the Messier globulars. Its low surface brightness makes it especially difficult to detect in small telescopes compared to brighter showpieces like M13 in Hercules or M22 in Sagittarius. This faintness is partly due to its distance — about 55,000 light-years away — which places it deep within the Milky Way’s halo.
Through a small telescope, M72 shows itself as a faint, rounded glow, but with patience and larger apertures, the view improves. A slightly condensed core becomes apparent, and the outer regions take on a grainy texture that hints at the presence of countless ancient stars. While it will never rival giants like M13 or Omega Centauri, its subtlety rewards careful observing under dark skies. It feels like a hidden treasure — a cluster you’ve truly earned by seeking it out.
What M72 lacks in brightness it makes up for in location. It lies in the company of two fascinating neighbors. A short nudge in the eyepiece brings you to M73, a tiny “Y”-shaped asterism of four stars. A little farther on, the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) reveals one of the finest planetary nebulae in the heavens. Together, they form a rich trio of deep-sky sights that invite exploration in a single session.
In short, Messier 72 is “a quiet cluster in good company” — a faint but charming globular whose appeal is enhanced by its proximity to two of Aquarius’s most delightful neighbors.
M72
Rating: 🟢 Solid Catch
Level: 🟡 Challenging
How:
When: Aug - Nov
🌟 A True Challenge Object Unlike the showpiece globulars visible even in suburban skies, M72 requires darker conditions and careful observing. Its faintness makes it an excellent test for your equipment and observing skills, offering the satisfaction that comes from hunting down a subtler object.
🌟 Part of a Deep-Sky Trio M72 sits in close company with Messier 73, a small star asterism, and the Saturn Nebula, one of the sky’s most famous planetaries. Observing all three in one session gives a wonderful variety of deep-sky experiences: a globular cluster, a curious asterism, and a planetary nebula — all within the same patch of sky.
🌟 A Glimpse of Ancient Stars This globular cluster lies about 55,000 light-years away and holds hundreds of thousands of stars, many older than our Sun. Even if you can’t resolve them individually in small instruments, knowing you’re looking at such an ancient population adds to the thrill of the view.
🌟 Perfect for Autumn Stargazing Aquarius is best placed in the evening skies of autumn, and M72 makes for an excellent target to round out a session exploring that region. Its pairing with nearby objects means you can create a memorable “mini-tour” of Aquarius on a crisp autumn night.
Globular cluster: a dense, spherical collection of tens of thousands to millions of ancient stars bound tightly by gravity, orbiting the outskirts of a galaxy.
M72
Find the Great Square of Pegasus and notice the lower-right star, Markab (+2.49).
Star hop 5 times: to Homam (+3.42), Baham (+3.52), Sadalmelik (+2.94), Sadalsuud (+2.89) and, finally, Albali (+3.76). These are easily visible to the naked eye under most skies.
With your telescope finder, point to Albali and center it. Using either a finder or a low-powered eyepiece, hop 3° south to HR 7976 (+5.86). M72 is less than 1° east. In a low-powered eyepiece, Messier 72 will appear as a small, faint, round haze against the sparse star field of Aquarius. Its surface brightness is low, so the cluster doesn’t stand out sharply; instead, it resembles a soft, misty patch with a gentle brightening toward the center. Increase power and explore.
Bonus Targets: Look 1.2° to the east for M73, a tiny “Y”-shaped asterism of four stars. Another 1.8° but to the northeast is the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), a planetary nebula. At low power it resembles a fuzzy star. Use higher power to confirm. A UHC filter may help bright out details.
M72
✅ Use Aquarius as Your Starting Point Messier 72 sits in the faint constellation of Aquarius, so begin by locating its brighter stars like Sadalsuud and Sadalmelik. From there, work your way southward toward the region that also holds the Saturn Nebula and M73.
✅ Sweep at Low Power First Because M72 is faint, start with a wide-field, low-power eyepiece to scan the area. The cluster will appear as a small, dim glow rather than a pinpoint star, and it’s easier to catch when the field of view is broad.
✅ Increase Magnification for Detail Once you’ve confirmed the cluster, switch to higher magnification to look for a slightly condensed center. Medium and larger telescopes may reveal a grainy texture at the edges, hinting at individual stars.
✅ Seek Dark Skies Light pollution can wash out M72 almost entirely. Observing under a Bortle 1–3 sky makes a world of difference, allowing its rounded form to stand out clearly.
✅ Pair It with Its Neighbors Don’t just stop at M72 — slide your scope slightly to spot M73, the tiny four-star asterism, and then move to the Saturn Nebula for a bright planetary. Observing all three in one sweep makes the hunt for M72 especially rewarding.
M72
❌ Naked Eye
To the naked eye, Messier 72 is far too faint to be seen. Even under the darkest skies, its glow is hidden well below the threshold of unaided vision, leaving Aquarius looking like a quiet stretch of stars without hint of a cluster.
❌ Binoculars
In binoculars, M72 is still very elusive. At best it may appear as a faint, unresolved patch of haze, and often it will be missed entirely unless you are under pristine, dark skies and know exactly where to look.
⚠️ Small Telescope
Through a small telescope, the cluster begins to reveal itself as a round, dim glow. Its light is diffuse with a slightly brighter core, but it remains unresolved, more of a misty ball than a collection of stars.
✅ Medium Telescope
A medium telescope makes M72 more rewarding. The central concentration becomes clearer, and the outer regions may show a grainy texture. While it still doesn’t rival brighter globulars, the cluster gains definition and presence against the background sky.
✅ Large Telescope
With a large telescope, M72 comes into its own. The halo breaks into faint stars, and the brighter ones twinkle along the edges, surrounding a dense but soft-looking core. Though still modest compared to the showpiece globulars, in big instruments it feels like a delicate sphere of ancient starlight suspended in the depths of Aquarius.
M72
Messier 72 is one of the dimmer globular clusters in the Messier catalog, so sky darkness makes a huge difference in how rewarding it appears. Its glow is delicate and easily lost in light pollution.
🟣 In Bortle 1–2 skies, M72 is a pleasing, compact ball of light with a gentle central brightening. Larger telescopes can begin to tease out faint edge stars, giving the cluster a soft, grainy texture.
🔵/🟢 In Bortle 3–4 skies, the cluster remains visible but less distinct. Its rounded shape is clear, though the halo appears more diffuse and the chance of glimpsing resolution drops. Still, it holds up as a subtle but satisfying target.
🟡/🟠 In Bortle 5–6 skies, M72 becomes a dim, ghostly smudge. The faint outer glow is mostly washed away, and only the brighter center can be detected with difficulty, making it more of a challenge object than a showpiece.
🔴 In Bortle 7+ skies, the cluster is nearly impossible to observe. It fades into the background, appearing at best as a faint haze with no structure, easily missed unless you know precisely where to point your telescope.
M72
DSOs within 48° or 2 outstretched hands at arm's length
M72 - A Faint Jewel in Aquarius in Good Company
Find the Great Square of Pegasus and notice the lower-right star, Markab (+2.49).
Star hop 5 times: to Homam (+3.42), Baham (+3.52), Sadalmelik (+2.94), Sadalsuud (+2.89) and, finally, Albali (+3.76). These are easily visible to the naked eye under most skies.
With your telescope finder, point to Albali and center it. Using either a finder or a low-powered eyepiece, hop 3° south to HR 7976 (+5.86). M72 is less than 1° east. In a low-powered eyepiece, Messier 72 will appear as a small, faint, round haze against the sparse star field of Aquarius. Its surface brightness is low, so the cluster doesn’t stand out sharply; instead, it resembles a soft, misty patch with a gentle brightening toward the center. Increase power and explore.
