Two of my favorite summer star clusters can be found scraping the southern horizon this month. M6 and M7 trail after the stinger stars that mark the tail of Scorpius the Scorpion. Each would be a lovely sight if viewed alone, but when teamed together in such rich surroundings, the scene becomes singularly beautiful.
To spot them, place the stinger on the southern edge of your binoculars’ field of view, and then look to the north. The clusters should fit into the same field. In fact, you might not even need binoculars to spot them. Both are bright enough to see with the naked eye if the sky in that direction is dark and clear.
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