Combination of 2, 3 minute exposures, Meade 416XTE CCD
8" f/6 newtonian at prime focus.
Situated in Ara is one of the finest globular clusters in the sky, NGC 6397. It is visible to the naked eye and is a very good object for small telescopes. It is larger and brighter than the well-known M13 and would be much better known if it were more accessable to northern observers.
The cluster is only moderately condensed and so even a small telescope can resolve it into stars. NGC 6397 is believed to be one of the nearest globular clusters to the solar system.