Open cluster · Canis Major

M41 Little Beehive Cluster

Also known as: NGC 2287

mag 4.538′ across

About

M41, the Little Beehive Cluster, is an open cluster of magnitude 4.5 in Canis Major, about 38′ across.

M41 is in the constellation Canis Major.
Best evenings: around mid-February 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 59° N.
Winter Triangle: 4° below Sirius: a misty patch to the eye from a dark site, a fine cluster in binoculars.

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.

EyesA hazy patch or a knot of faint stars from a dark site.
Binoculars (10×50)A rich scattering of stars — binoculars often give the best view.
Telescope (6–8 inch)Dozens of stars, many sharp and some coloured.

For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.

Designations	M41, NGC 2287
Type	Open cluster
Magnitude	4.5The smaller the number, the brighter.
Apparent size	38′the full Moon is 31′ across
Constellation	Canis Major
Right ascension (J2000)	06h 46m 00.0s
Declination (J2000)	−20° 45′ 15″

Catalog data: OpenNGC by Mattia Verga, CC BY-SA 4.0, and d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn, BSD 3-Clause. All data sources →