Open cluster · Vela
IC 2488 Strings of Pearl Cluster
mag 7.47.2′ across
About
IC 2488, the Strings of Pearl Cluster, is an open cluster of magnitude 7.4 in Vela, about 7.2′ across.
How to find it
- IC 2488 is in the constellation Vela.
- Best evenings: around late March it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from south of 23° N.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesNot visible to the naked eye.
- Binoculars (10×50)A small knot of stars, partly resolved.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)A group of faint stars.
For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.
Facts
| Designations | IC 2488 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Magnitude | 7.4The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 7.2′the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Constellation | Vela |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 09h 27m 38.2s |
| Declination (J2000) | −57° 00′ 25″ |
Sources and credits
Catalog data: OpenNGC by Mattia Verga, CC BY-SA 4.0, and d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn, BSD 3-Clause. All data sources →