July is the best time of the year to observe two distant star clusters that are relatively close to each other. Given their close proximity to the constellation Scorpius, these two star clusters are easy to find for the amateur astronomer.
Scorpius can be seen in the southern sky during July evenings. The two star clusters are just east of the "stinger". Graphic provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech.NASA
According to NASA, the star clusters M6 (the Butterfly Cluster) and M7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster) are well positioned in the night sky for easy observing during the month of July. They’re just east of the stars that make up the “stinger” of the scorpion in the constellation. Look to the south between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. to locate the constellation Scorpius. Follow a straight line through the two stars that make up the stinger east and it will lead you directly to the bottom of the two clusters, M7. M6 is above and just west of M7.