NGC 5286

NGC 5286 is a globular cluster located 4.3° S-SW of Zeta Centauri. Described as very bright (magnitude 7.6), fairly large (9.1'), round, and extremely rich, it contains stars of magnitude 15 and fainter.

This globular cluster was cataloged as Dunlop 338, following its discovery by James Dunlop on April 29, 1826.

The foreground star is the spectroscopic binary M Centauri; at magnitude 4.6, it is easily visible to the naked eye under reasonably dark skies.

NGC 5286 lies 35,900 light years from the Sun, and 27,400 light years from the Galactic Center.