Christmas Tree Cluster
Also known as NGC 2264 · Fox Fur Nebula
Christmas Tree Cluster is a star cluster with nebula in the constellation Monoceros, about 2,310 light-years from Earth.
Open cluster in Monoceros
Facts
| Type | Star cluster with nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Position (J2000) | 6h 40m 58s, +9° 53′ |
| Distance | 2,310 light-years (its light set off about 2,310 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 3.9 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 240′ × 240′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | UHC (narrowband) filter (Glowing gas shines in a few colours of hydrogen and oxygen: a UHC filter passes those and blocks most light pollution and sky glow.) |
| Studied in | 1,896 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Christmas Tree Cluster is highest in the sky at midnight in December. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 80° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 50°. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Monoceros
- Cone Nebula
- Hubble's Variable Nebula
- M50 (NGC 2323)
- Red Rectangle
- Red Rectangle Nebula
- Rosette B (NGC 2246)
- Rosette Nebula
- Seagull Nebula
Everything in Monoceros · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits