File:M41-Open-Cluster-of-Stars.png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Messier 41 is an open cluster of stars located in the constellation Canis Major, visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch in the night sky. It's a group of young stars that formed together and remain gravitationally bound, helping astronomers understand how stars are born and evolve over time.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Right ascension
- 06 46.0
- Declination
- −20 ° 46 ′
- Distance
- 2,360 ly (725 pc )
- Apparent dimensions v
- 38 arcmin
- Radius
- 12.5 ly
- Estimated age
- 200 million yrs
- Other designations
- M41, NGC 2287
- Constellation
- Canis Major
via Wikipedia infobox
~2 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Messier 41 (also known as M41 or NGC 2287) is an open cluster in the constellation Canis Major. Located approximately four degrees south of Sirius, it forms a roughly equilateral triangle with Sirius and Nu Canis Majoris, visible together in binoculars. The cluster spans an area comparable to the size of the full moon and contains about 100 stars, including several red giants and white dwarfs.
Discovery and history
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Messier 41” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.