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M46
Messier 46
Open Star Cluster
| Right Ascension | 7h 41m 48s | Best Seen | 2/15 - 5/1 |
| Declination | -14° 49' 00" | Magnitude | 6.0 |
| Constellation | Puppis | ||
Actual |
Compared to Sun |
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| Distance | 5,400 ly | -- |
| Diameter | 30 ly | -- |
| Number of Stars | ~500 | 1 |
| Actual Brightness | -- | -- |
| Age | 300 million years | 5 billion |
| Integrated Spectral Type | -- | G2 V |
| Density (gram/cubic cm) | -- | -- |
What To Look For Through The Telescope
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Recommended eyepiece: 40mm or 80 mm.
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Through the telescope the cluster will appear as a group of individual stars; much like sugar or salt sprinkled on a table top.
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This cluster contains a small planetary nebula (NGC 2438) which can be seen through the telescope.
M46 Information
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This cluster was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771.
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The average distance between stars in this cluster is 1.6 light years.
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This cluster contains a small planetary nebula (NGC 2438) which can be seen through the telescope. This nebula is not part of M46: it is about 3,000 l.y. away, and so it is between us and the cluster.
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References
| Item | Updated | Notes |
| Coordinates | 2003-01-04 | tweaked a bit |
| Distance | 2003-01-04 | OK with http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m046.html |
| Actual Brightness | -- | |
| Number of Stars | 2003-01-04 | OK with http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m046.html |
| Diameter | 2003-01-04 | OK with http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m046.html |
| Age | 2003-01-04 | OK with http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m046.html |
| Integrated Spectral Type | -- | |
| Other Information | 2003-01-04 | addt’l info from http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m046.html |