- M 50 (NGC 2323)
M 50 is a bright, compact open cluster lying within the Winter Milky Way in the constellation Monoceros. It was possibly discovered by Giovanni Cassini in 1711. Messier observed it in April of 1772 while following the comet of that year. It was independently observed by the German Bode in 1774 while he was searching for the cluster described by Cassini.
M 50 lies at a distance of around 2900 LY and has a physical diameter of around 13 LY. The cluster contains around 109 brighter members, although recent stdies suggest that it may contain as many as 2050 member stars, most of which are very faint. The brightest member (visual magnitude 7.8) is a red giant of spectral class K located just to the left of the center of the cluster in my image. Estimates of the age of M 50 range from 78 to 100 million years.
The small group of stars located at the bottom left corner of my image are enveloped in nebulosity that glows red from Hα emissions. This small, obscure nebula is designated as entry 1023 in Lynd's Catalog of Bright Nebulae.
|
Return to SOCO Image Gallery