M4, NGC 6121

M4, a globular cluster in the constellation Scorpius, is about 7000 light-years away from us, which makes it a good candidate for being our nearest globular cluster. M4 shows an unusual central bar structure, and would be much brighter if not for considerable intervening interstellar dust, which also accounts for its slightly brown-ish color. This picture was created from observations with the T2KA CCD camera at the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 0.9-meter telescope in March of 1995.