Open cluster · Carina
NGC 3293 Gem Cluster
mag 4.75.1′ across
About
NGC 3293, the Gem Cluster, is an open cluster of magnitude 4.7 in Carina, about 5.1′ across.
How to find it
- NGC 3293 is in the constellation Carina.
- Best evenings: around mid-April 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 22° 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
- EyesA faint smudge at the limit of vision, only from a dark site.
- Binoculars (10×50)A small hazy spot.
- 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.
Facts
| Designations | NGC 3293 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Magnitude | 4.7The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 5.1′the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Constellation | Carina |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 10h 35m 48.8s |
| Declination (J2000) | −58° 13′ 28″ |
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 →