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Object Type: Globular Cluster (Class IX)
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Magnitude: 6.7
Size: 16'

M12 is 16,000 light-years from our solar system. Its core is less concentrated than that of most globular clusters, giving it a slightly more open appearance.

Equipment: Meade 14" LX200R/STL-11000M/Astrodon LRGB filters/Paramount ME
F-ratio: f/9.5
Exposures: LRGB: L 10 x 6 minutes, binned 2x2: R 10 x 6 minutes: G 10 x 6 minutes: B 10 x 6 minutes: RGB binned 3x3
Date: June 27, 2008
Location: Landers, California, USA
Technical Notes: Individual exposures were obtained using CCDAutoPilot2 and then sigma combined. The RGB image was created in Registar 1.0. Russell Croman's GradientXTerminator plug-in for Photoshop was used to remove mild gradients.