Messier 46

MEssier 46 is an open cluster located in the Southern constellation Puppis. This was also known as M46 and NGC 2437. This was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771. Dreyer described is "very bright, very rich, very large". This object was 5,545 light years away from the earth with apparent magnitude of 6. the right ascension of this object was 07h 41m 46.0s.

The planetary nebula NGC 2438 appears to lie within the cluster near its northern edge (the faint almost rainbow array of colored smudge at the top-center of the image), but it is most likely unrelated since it does not share the cluster's radial velocity. This makes for superimposed objects of interest, another instance perhaps being NGC 2818. On the other hand, the illuminating star of the bipolar Calabash Nebula shares the radial velocity and proper motion of Messier 46, and is at the same distance, so is a bona fide member of the open cluster.

M46 is located close by to another open cluster, Messier 47. M46 is about a degree east of M47 in the sky, so the two fit well in a binocular or wide-angle telescope field. Messier 46 was best viewed in the month December, January and February.

Previous Object: Messier 45/\ Next object: Messier 47

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