Palomar 13

Lore & Background

Palomar 13 is one of the faintest globular clusters in the Milky Way, discovered only in the 1950s using the enormous 48-inch Schmidt camera at Palomar Observatory. It had never been seen before its identification as a globular cluster. The cluster is part of the set of 15 Palomar globulars, which were discovered late due to their faintness, heavy obscuration, remote locations, or few member stars.

Observation of Palomar 13 is extremely challenging. It is regarded as the most difficult of all Palomar globulars to observe visually. Successful observation requires dark skies with no light pollution, excellent seeing conditions, and high power (at least 200 power magnification). The observer must know how to navigate the sky precisely and rely on averted vision. Palomar 13 is a small object and may appear hazy, with individual stars not resolvable in typical amateur telescopes.

Reader's Guide

Palomar 13 holds a unique place among the Palomar globular clusters as the most difficult to observe. Its significance lies in the extreme challenge it presents to amateur astronomers, who require dark skies, excellent seeing, and high magnification (at least 200 power) to even glimpse it. The cluster is small and hazy, demanding precise sky navigation and averted vision. While some Palomar globulars are of average size and nearby, or are giants in the far outer halo, Palomar 13 is notable for its faintness and sparse appearance, making it hard to distinguish from foreground stars. Its discovery in the 1950s on POSS plates underscores how late these faint clusters were identified. For visual observers, Palomar 13 represents the ultimate test of observing skill among the Palomar globulars, as it is the most difficult to detect and resolve.