Great Bird Cluster (NGC 2301)

Also known as Great Bird Cluster · NGC 2301

Great Bird Cluster (NGC 2301) is an open star cluster in the constellation Monoceros, about 2,800 light-years from Earth.

Open it on the live sky map Plan Night Exploration

Great Bird Cluster (NGC 2301): a sky-survey photograph of its field — Sky survey view (DSS2 colour, or a backup survey)

Facts

Type	Open star cluster
Constellation	Monoceros
Position (J2000)	6h 51m 45s, +0° 27′
Distance	2,800 light-years (its light set off about 2,800 years ago)
Brightness	magnitude 6 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6)
Size on the sky	19.4′ × 19.4′ (the full Moon is about 31′)
Filter	No filter (It shines in starlight of every colour, so a nebula filter would only dim it; a dark sky helps more.)
Studied in	183 scientific papers (SIMBAD)

When and how to see it

Great Bird Cluster (NGC 2301) is highest in the sky at midnight in January. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 70° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 40°. To see it you need the naked eye from a dark site.

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

Everything in Monoceros · All 88 constellations · All sky objects

Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits