M19 - An Oblate Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus | Astrophotography
- Antoine & Dalia Grelin
- 3 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Messier 19 is a bright globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It’s a fun target to image because unlike most other globulars, it looks oval instead of round. In this case, it is very obvious! In this post, you will find information, images, and tips to help you photograph this impressive star cluster.
Object Designation: M19, NGC 6273
Also known as: N/A
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Object Type: Globular Cluster
Distance: 28,700 light-years away
Magnitude: 6.8
Apparent Size: 17'
Discovery: June 5, 1764 by Charles Messier
Messier 19 is bright and large enough to be a great beginner target. It's not difficult to capture nor to process, and easy to capture with almost any setup, revealing the faint background gas and surrounding dust clouds can be a bit challenging, especially during processing.
In the northern hemisphere, Messier 19 rises high in the sky during July and so it is best photographed in the Summer season.
Messier 19 Astrophotography in the Milky Way band
July 2025
I spent 7.5 hours shooting M19 using my f/2 RASA 8 telescope from the New Mexico desert. I didn't really plan to shoot this specific target at that time, but knew that I still needed to capture it for my personal Messier catalog, so I went for it! I chose to do 7+ hours on it because I want the catalog to be full of pictures I'm proud of, so there is no half-assing it!
You can see the final image below. I think this amount of time is enough on it, as there doesn't seem to be much stuff going on in the surrounding areas. Except for the faint dark lanes, I don't spot any nebulosity anywhere.
The second cluster visible to the right of the frame is NGC 6284, another globular in Ophiuchus.
Click the image for the full-resolution version!
GEAR USED:
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC
Telescope: Celestron RASA 8
Mount: 10Micron GM2000 HPS
Guiding: ZWO ASI 220MM Mini
Accessories: Celestron Focuser / PrimaLuceLab Eagle 5S
Processing: Pixinsight, with R-C Astro plugins. Final touches in Skylum Luminar Neo
ACQUISITION DETAILS:
Total Exposure Time: 7.5 hours
Exposure Time per frame: 60 seconds
Filters: N/A
Gain: 100
How to Find the Messier 19 Cluster
Messier 19 can be found in the Summer constellation Ophiuchus. Finding it is a bit difficult, but you should be able to spot it with a little bit of luck if you start from the are around Rho Ophiuchi. First locate the brightest star in Scorpius, Antares. From there, slowly make your way towards the bright Milky Way band. You want to aim towards the famous Lagoon Nebula, but stop mid-way. M19 sits just between M8 and Antares.
M19 does not rise high for northern observers, so try to capture it near the beginning of Summer or you may have to wait another year for the object to be at its highest elevation again. Messier 19 can be seen with the naked eye for the most advanced observers.
Not far from Messier 19, you could spot some other deep sky objects, like NGC6284 (the cluster on the right in my picture), but also the molecular cloud complex Rho Ophiuchi, Messier 62, the Blue Horsehead Nebula, and Messier 9.
The best time to observe and photograph M19 is in Summer.
Messier 19 by NASA / the Hubble Space Telescope
M19 was captured by NASA and ESA several times. One of these pictures can be seen below, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths.
M19 is located just 6,500 light-years away from the galactic core, making it one of the closest globular clusters from the center of our galaxy! Messier 19 is similar in shape to its closest globular neighbor, M62. Both are believed to have such an odd shape due to their proximity to the galactic bulge.
The cluster has approximately 300,000 stars and is about 11.9 billion years old.
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Processing M19
Messier 19 is not difficult to process. There isn't anything going on around it, so you don't have to worry about bringing out some faint nebulosity or other things. You could of course spend much longer than me capturing this target in the hopes of revealing something, but with my 7.5 hours of integration time from a dark site, I can not see anything besides the dark lanes.
Here you can see what a 60-second single shot looks like. M19 is obvious in the center, which is not surprising as it is a globular cluster. Processing can be achieved with a very simple workflow, doing some star tightening, noise reduction, color and contrast enhancements and... that's it.
If you'd like to learn how to process your images, get our astrophotography processing guides! They include written and video lessons, raw data, and straight to the point tips to help you get the best out of your images.
Messier 19 FAQ
In which constellation is M19 located?
You can find Messier 19 in the constellation Ophiuchus.
How big is M19?
M19 has a diameter of approximately 140 light-years. From Earth, it has an apparent size of 17 arc minutes.
How old is M19?
Messier 19 is 11.9 billion years old.
How far is Messier 19?
M19 lies approximately 28,700 light-years away from Earth.
How long should my exposure times be when photographing M19?
I recommend between doing 30 to 60-second exposures for all globular clusters, which will help ensure your stars are detailed and pinpoint even within the cluster. Of course, ensure your tracking is great!
Should I use a filter to image M19?
I personally did not see any HA or other gasses in the background or around the cluster, so you don't have to use filters for this object as it is a broadband target.
Final Thoughts
Messier 19 is a great globular cluster, and enjoyable to capture to see its oval shape. This is yet another easy cluster that I am glad to have photographed to add to my Messier catalog!
Have you imaged the M19 cluster? If so, upload your picture in the comments! We'd all love to see your work :)
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