m41 (ngc2287)

M41 (ngc2287), in Canis Major, lies around 4 degrees south of the star Sirius and covers an area roughly about the size of the full moon. Lying some 2300ly (710...
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M41 (ngc2287), in Canis Major, lies around 4 degrees south of the star Sirius and covers an area roughly about the size of the full moon. Lying some 2300ly (710pc) from Earth, the cluster is some 26ly in diameter and contains about 100 stars. Several of stars within the cluster are red giants, the brightest of which (K3III) shines at 6.3mag. The cluster is also home to several white dwarfs. Moving away from us at 23.3kms, the cluster is around 190Ma in age and is expected to last for another 500Ma before the gravitational forces of the rest of the galaxy pull the cluster apart. Discovered before 1654 by Giovanni Batista Hodierna, the cluster was also probably seen by Aristotle, in 325BC. Pic taken by t68 at the Bathurst Observatory (BAT-iTelescope Network), 15x60sec subs.
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