Right Ascension | 07 : 45.4 (h:m) |
---|---|
Declination | -37 : 58 (deg:m) |
Distance | 0.85 (kly) |
Visual Brightness | 2.8 (mag) |
Apparent Dimension | 45 (arc min) |
Discovered by Hodierna before 1654.
This cluster was probably another one discovered by Hodierna. Because of its southern declination, northern observers as Messier and William Herschel could not find it.
NGC 2451 consists of 40 stars, the brightest of which is of magnitude 3.6, and of spectral type B8. Its age was estimated at 36 million years, and it is receding from us at 26 km/sec. At only about 850 light years, this cluster is quite close to us.
In John Caldwell's List and in the Astronomical League's Southern Sky Binocular Club List.
Last Modification: 21 Mar 1998, 14:00 MET