M11 - The "Wild Duck" Star Cluster

Compact and rich, the “Wild Duck Cluster” is perhaps the finest open star cluster visible to backyard astronomers. One look at its dazzling stars set against an inky dark sky and you will have no doubt that life is worth living.

The Basics

• Set in a star-clogged section of the constellation Scutum, the Wild Duck cluster is easy to find… it’s just south and west of the tail of the constellation Aquila, the Eagle.

• You can see M11 in binoculars and smaller telescopes, but it’s surprisingly small and faint… almost like a loose globular cluster. A 4-inch or larger telescope will resolve the cluster into a tiny swarm of sparkling white stars.

• With an 8-inch or larger scope at 100-150x, you’ll see hundreds of tiny star points across the field of view… incredibly rich.

• British Admiral William Smyth imagined M11 as a V-shaped configuration of stars that reminded him of wild ducks flying in formation. Can you see this shape with your telescope?

A Deeper Look....