M79 - Globular Cluster in Lepus | Astrophotography
- Antoine & Dalia Grelin
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Messier 79 is a bright globular cluster in the constellation Lepus. It’s a small but easy object to image with a beginner telescope. In this post, you will find information, images, and tips to help you photograph this star cluster.
Object Designation: M79, NGC 1904
Constellation: Lepus
Object Type: Globular Cluster
Distance: 42,000 light-years away
Magnitude: 7.7
Discovery: Pierre Méchain in 1780
Messier 79 can be captured with almost any setup, and the processing isn't too challenging although you might need to crop quite a bit since it might look very small in your FOV depending on your telescope.
In the northern hemisphere, Messier 79 is best photographed during the Winter season.
Messier 79 Astrophotography with a RASA Telescope
October 2025
I spent just under 4 hours imaging M79 using my f/2 RASA 8 telescope from the dark skies of New Mexico. I could have spent more time on it, but decided to switch to a different target after, and was happy with what I got so far.
As you can see below, the cluster looks great and 4 hours under Bortle 1 skies at this speed (f/2) was enough! This is a cropped version of the image, as the cluster is pretty small!
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: 3.8 hours
Exposure Time per frame: 60 seconds
Filters: N/A
Gain: 100
How to Find the Messier 79 Cluster
Messier 79 is located in the constellation Lepus, just south of the much brighter constellation Orion. M79 lies in a sparse part of the sky, unlike many other Messier clusters which are near the Milky Way band or near other popular objects.
To locate Messier 79, first find Orion in the winter sky. Then look just below Orion to identify the smaller constellation Lepus (the Hare). A good starting point is the bright star Beta Leporis (Nihal). Messier 79 lies about 4 degrees northeast of this star, and can be found with the help of binoculars or a telescope using a detailed star chart.
Messier 79 has an apparent size of about 9 arc minutes and shines at magnitude 7.7. Through binoculars it appears as a small fuzzy glow, while a telescope will reveal its bright central core surrounded by a dense population of stars. Larger telescopes and higher magnifications can begin to resolve some of the individual stars in the outer regions of the cluster.
Although the area around M79 is not as rich in bright deep-sky objects as other regions of the sky, it lies close to the border of Orion, making it easy to include in an observing session alongside famous targets such as the Orion Nebula (M42) and the Horsehead Nebula.
The best time to observe and photograph M79 is in Winter.
M79 Cluster Information
M79 is, like Messier 54, the only globular cluster in the Messier catalog that likely comes from outside of our own galaxy.
Messier 79 is a dense globular cluster containing roughly 150,000 stars packed into a region only about 120 light-years across. The cluster is estimated to be around 11–12 billion years old, meaning most of its stars formed very early in the history of the universe. Astronomers have identified several variable stars within M79, including RR Lyrae variables that help researchers measure cosmic distances.
M79 is, like Messier 54, the only globular cluster in the Messier catalog that likely comes from outside of our own galaxy. It is believed to have been captured when our galaxy interacted with the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy billions of years ago.
Messier 79 by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
M79 was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 and 1997, as you can see here!
A lot of stars can be seen, most being white and blue, with some bright orange ones.
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Processing M79
Messier 79 is not difficult, as it is a simple globular cluster without anything specific going on around it. I did see some IFN at the bottom of the image when I was processing, but decided to crop it out because the cluster looked too small in my final image.
You can see here what a single 60-second shot looked like, and see for yourself how small the cluster looks through the RASA 8 and ASI2600MC view!
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 79 FAQ
In which constellation is M79 located?
You can find Messier 79 in the constellation Lepus.
How big is M79?
M79 has a diameter of approximately 120 light-years. From Earth, it has an apparent size of 8.7 arc minutes.
How old is M79?
Messier 79 is 11.14 billion years old.
How far is Messier 79?
M79 lies approximately 42,000 light-years away from Earth.
How long should my exposure times be when photographing M79?
I recommend between 30 and 60 seconds which is a safe bet for globular clusters due to how many stars are packed in such a small area. If you can, I also suggest turning off the guiding as long as your tracking is good enough for up to 60s shots!
Should I use a filter to image M79?
You do not need any filter to image this cluster.
Final Thoughts
Messier 79 is a good cluster to capture for both beginner and experimented astrophotographers, and with pretty much any setup! It is easy to shoot, easy to process, and looks great if cropped properly!
Have you imaged the M79 cluster? If so, upload your picture in the comments! We'd all love to see your work :)
Clear Skies,
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