M41

Alt. Designations: NGC 2287
Object Type: Open Cluster
Constellation: Canis Major
Distance: 2.3 kly
Right Ascension: 06h 46m 00.0s
Declination: -20° 45´ 24"
Visual Magnitude: 4.5
Apparent Dimension: 39.0´ Dia.
Best Month To View: Dec

Running away from us at a speed of about 34 kilometers per second, this field of about 100 stars measures about 25 light years across. Born about 240 million years ago, it resides in space approximately 2300 light years away from our solar system. Larger aperture telescopes will reveal the presence of many red (or orange) giant stars and the hottest star in this group is a spectral type A.