Messier 4 is a magnificent globular star cluster that sits in the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. You can easily find it just over one degree west of Antares, the scorpion's glowing red eye. In binoculars, M4 looks like a large, pale cloud of light that is almost as wide as the moon. Because it is one of the closest globular clusters to Earth, its gentle glow is very easy to spot on a clear summer night.
When you switch to a small 4-inch telescope, a unique secret reveals itself right across the cluster's center. A bright, narrow bar of individual stars runs vertically right through the middle like a glowing spine. This distinctive stellar needle makes M4 look completely different from other round star clusters. The background of the cluster stays soft and grainy, with a few faint star points sparkling on the outer edges.
An 8-inch telescope completely shatters the misty cloud into a brilliant swarm of cosmic sparks. The central bar of stars stands out sharply, and dozens of bright outliers form delicate chains that loop across the view. You will notice that M4 is not perfectly round, but looks slightly oval and loose. It feels intimate and beautifully near, a glittering dust storm of ancient stars frozen in the deep dark.