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M46

Messier 46 (M46) is an open star cluster in the southern sky, located in the constellation Puppis. It is also catalogued as NGC 2437 and lies in proximity to the nearby open cluster M47, with both clusters appearing in the same region of the sky.

Discovery and designation: M46 was listed by Charles Messier in 1771 as part of his catalog of

Description and age: M46 is a relatively rich open cluster consisting of hundreds of stars that share

Distance and relations: Distance estimates place M46 at a few thousand light-years from Earth, though precise

Observational notes: M46 is accessible to amateur observers with small telescopes under good conditions and can

cloudy
or
nebulous
objects
intended
to
aid
comet
hunting.
It
is
one
of
the
brighter
open
clusters
in
Puppis
and
carries
the
alternative
designation
NGC
2437
in
the
New
General
Catalogue.
a
common
origin.
The
cluster
is
estimated
to
be
on
the
order
of
several
hundred
million
years
old.
Its
stellar
population
features
a
mix
of
main-sequence
and
evolved
stars,
giving
it
a
conspicuous
appearance
in
moderate
telescopes.
measurements
vary.
In
the
same
line
of
sight
lies
the
planetary
nebula
NGC
2438,
which
sits
near
the
cluster
in
the
sky
but
is
not
a
bound
member
of
M46
and
does
not
share
its
distance
or
motion.
be
resolved
into
a
loose
assembly
of
stars,
especially
toward
the
core.
The
cluster
is
frequently
studied
in
discussions
of
open-cluster
evolution
and
stellar
populations
and
remains
a
notable
object
in
the
Messier
catalog
for
observers
in
the
southern
hemisphere.