List of open clusters

The open cluster Messier 6 in the constellation Scorpius is also known as the Butterfly Cluster or NGC 6405

This is a list of open clusters located in the Milky Way. An open cluster is a gravitationally bound association of up to a few thousand stars that all formed from the same giant molecular cloud. There are over 1,000 known open clusters in the Milky Way galaxy, but the actual total may be up to ten times higher.^[1] The estimated half lives of clusters, after which half the original cluster members will have been lost, range from 150 million to 800 million years, depending on the original density.^[2]

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Cluster identifier			Constellation	Distance (parsecs)	Age (Myr)	Diameter	Apparent magnitude	Notes
	Epoch J2000
	R. A.	Dec.
Hyades	04^h 26.9^m	+15° 52′	Taurus	46	625	330'	0.5	[3]
Coma	12^h 22.5^m	+25° 51′	Coma Berenices	90	400-500	120'	1.8	[4]
Butterfly (M 6)	17^h 40.1^m	−32° 13′	Scorpius	487	94	20'	4.2	[1]
Messier 7	17^h 53.8^m	−34° 47′	Scorpius	280	224	80'	3.3	[5][6]
Wild Duck (M 11)	18^h 51.1^m	−06° 16′	Scutum	1,900	250	13'	5.8	[1][6][7]
Eagle Nebula (M 16)	18^h 18.8^m	−13° 49′	Serpens	1,800	1.3	6'	6.0	[1]
Messier 18	18^h 20.0^m	−17° 06′	Sagittarius	1,296	17	5'	6.9	[1]
Messier 21	18^h 04.2^m	−22° 29′	Sagittarius	1,205	12	14'	5.9	[1]
Messier 23	17^h 57.0^m	−18° 59′	Sagittarius	628	300	30'	5.5	[1][6]
Messier 24	18^h 17.0^m	−18° 29′	Sagittarius	3,070	220	90'	4.6	[1][6]
Messier 25	18^h 31.7^m	−19° 07′	Sagittarius	620	92	30'	4.6	[1]
Messier 26	18^h 45.3^m	−09° 23′	Scutum	1,600	85	7'	8.0	[1]
Messier 34	02^h 42.1^m	+42° 46′	Perseus	499	180	36'	5.2	[1][6]
Messier 35	06^h 09.1^m	+24° 21′	Gemini	912	180	25'	5.0	[8]
Messier 36	05^h 36.2^m	+34° 08′	Auriga	1,330	25	10'	6.0	[1]
Messier 37	05^h 52.3^m	+32° 33′	Auriga	1,400	347	14'	5.6	[1]
Messier 38	05^h 28.7^m	+35° 51′	Auriga	1,400	316	20'	6.4	[1]
Messier 39	21^h 31.8^m	+48° 27′	Cygnus	311	280	30'	4.6	[1][5]
Messier 41	06^h 46.0^m	−20° 46′	Canis Major	710	240	40'	4.5	[1][6]
Beehive (M 44)	08^h 40.4^m	+19° 41′	Cancer	160	830	70'	3.1	[9]
Pleiades (M 45)	03^h 47.4^m	+24° 07′	Taurus	135	125	120'	1.2	[10]
Messier 46	07^h 41.7^m	−14° 49′	Puppis	1,510	250	20'	6.1	[1]
Messier 47	07^h 36.6^m	−14° 30′	Puppis	490	73	25'	4.4	[1]
Messier 48	08^h 13.7^m	−05° 45′	Hydra	770	400	30'	5.8	[1]
Messier 50	07^h 02.6^m	−08° 23′	Monoceros	1,000	130	14'	5.9	[8]
Messier 52	23^h 24.8^m	+61° 35′	Cassiopeia	1,400	160	15	6.9	[1]
Messier 67	08^h 51.3^m	+11° 48′	Cancer	908	4,000	25'	6.9	[1][6]
Messier 93	07^h 44.6^m	−23° 52′	Puppis	1037	390	10'	6.2	[1]
Messier 103	01^h 33.4^m	+60° 39′	Cassiopeia	3,000	16	5'	7.4	[11]
Southern Pleiades (IC 2602)	10^h 43.2^m	−64° 24′	Carina	147	30	100'	1.9	[12]
IC 2391 (Omicron Velorum Cluster)	08^h 40.6^m	−53° 02′	Vela	148	30	60'	2.5	[12]
NGC 2451 A	07^h 45.4^m	−37° 58′	Puppis	189	50	45'	2.8	[5][13]
Alpha Persei	03^h 26.0^m	+49° 07′	Perseus	200	50	300'	1.2	[14]
Blanco 1	00^h 04.3^m	−29° 56′	Sculptor	253	100	90'	4.5	[12]
NGC 2232	06^h 26.4^m	−04° 45′	Monoceros	325	53	45'	3.9	[1][5]
IC 4756	18^h 39.0^m	−05° 27′	Serpens	330	500	40'	4.6	[1][5]
NGC 2516 (Diamond Cluster)	07^h 58.0^m	−60° 48′	Carina	346	141	30'	3.8	[5][6]
IC 4665	17^h 46.3^m	+05° 43′	Ophiuchus	352	43	70'	4.2	[1]
Trumpler 10	08^h 47.8^m	−42° 29′	Vela	365	35	14'	4.6	[1][5]
NGC 6633	18^h 27.7^m	+06° 34′	Ophiuchus	375		20'	4.6	[15]
IC 348	03^h 44.6^m	+32° 10′	Perseus	385	44	7'	7.3	[1]
NGC 752	01^h 57.7^m	+37° 47′	Andromeda	400	1,700–2,000	75'	5.7	[16]
NGC 3532 (Wishing Well Cluster)	11^h 06.4^m	−58° 40′	Carina	405	316	50'	3.0	[5][6]
NGC 2516	07^h 58.1^m	−60° 45′	Carina	409	140	30'	3.8	[1][6]
Collinder 140	07^h 24.5^m	−31° 51′	Canis Major	410	35	42'	3.5	[1][5]
NGC 2547	08^h 10.8^m	−49° 18′	Vela	433	38	25'	4.7	[5]
NGC 6281	17^h 04.7^m	−37° 59′	Scorpius	479	220	8'	5.4	[1]
IC 4756	18^h 38.5^m	+05° 29′	Serpens	484	500	40'	4.6	[1]
NGC 225	00^h 43.6^m	+61° 46′	Cassiopeia	657	130	12'	7.0	[1]
NGC 5662	14^h 35.6^m	−56° 37′	Centaurus	666	70	30'	5.5	[1][6]
NGC 5460	14^h 07.4^m	−48° 20′	Centaurus	678	160	36'	5.6	[1][6]
NGC 189	00^h 39.7^m	+61° 04′	Cassiopeia	752	10	3.7'	8.8	[1]
NGC 6025	16^h 03.3^m	−60° 26′	Triangulum Australe	756	130	14'	5.1	[1][6]
IC 5146	21^h 53.5^m	+47° 16′	Cygnus	852	1	9'	7.2	[1]
IC 4651	17^h 24.8^m	−49° 56′	Ara	888	1,900	10'	6.9	[1][6]
NGC 6087	16^h 18.8^m	−57° 56′	Norma	891	70	14'	5.4	[1][6]
NGC 3114	10^h 02.7^m	−60° 07′	Carina	911	124	36'	4.2	[1]
NGC 2509	08^h 00.7^m	−19° 04′	Puppis	912	Uncertain[17]	10'	9.3	[18]
NGC 2264	06^h 41.0^m	+09° 53′	Ophiuchus	913	1.5	40'	3.9	[19]
NGC 1502	04^h 07.8^m	+62° 20′	Camelopardalis	1,000	10	8'	5.7	[1]
NGC 7822	00^h 04.0^m	+68° 35′	Cepheus	1,000	2	180'		[20]
NGC 2169	06^h 08.4^m	+13° 58′	Orion	1,052	12	5'	5.9	[1]
NGC 6242	16^h 55.6^m	−39° 28′	Scorpius	1,131	50	9'	6.4	[1][6]
NGC 381	01^h 08.3^m	+61° 35′	Cassiopeia	1,148	320	7'	9.3	[1]
NGC 6204	16^h 46.1^m	−47° 01′	Ara	1,200	79	6'	8.2	[1]
NGC 6231	16^h 54.1^m	−41° 50′	Scorpius	1,243	6	14'	2.6	[1][6]
NGC 2439	07^h 40.8^m	−31° 41′	Puppis	1,300	25	9'	6.9	[1][6]
NGC 6067	16^h 13.2^m	−54° 13′	Norma	1,417	170	14'	5.6	[1][6]
NGC 2362	07^h 18.6^m	–24° 59′	Canis Major	1,480	4–5	5'	4.1	[21]
NGC 6756	19^h 08.7^m	+04° 42′	Aquila	1,507	62	4'	4.5	[1]
NGC 6031	16^h 07.9^m	−54° 03′	Norma	1,510	117		8.5	[1][22]
NGC 2175	06^h 09.7^m	+20° 29′	Orion	1,627	8.9	5'	6.8	[1]
NGC 188	00^h 48.4^m	+85° 15′	Cepheus	1,660	6,600	17'	8.1	[6][23]
NGC 2244	06^h 31.9^m	+04° 56′	Monoceros	1,660	1.9	30'	4.8	[1]
NGC 2360	07^h 17.7^m	−15° 38′	Canis Major	1,887	1,000	13'	7.2	[1][6]
NGC 6834	19^h 52.2^m	+29° 25′	Cygnus	1,930	76	5'	7.8	[1][22]
NGC 659	01^h 44.4^m	+60° 40′	Cassiopeia	1,938	35	5'	7.9	[1]
Jewel Box (NGC 4755)	12^h 53.6^m	−60° 22′	Crux	1,976	14	10'	4.2	[1][6]
NGC 6200	16^h 44.1^m	−47° 28′	Ara	2,056	8.5	12'	7.4	[24]
NGC 869	02^h 19.1^m	+57° 09′	Perseus	2,079	12	18'	4.3	[1]
NGC 637	01^h 43.0^m	+64° 02′	Cassiopeia	2,160	10	4.2'	8.2	[1]
NGC 2355	07^h 17.0^m	+13° 47′	Gemini	2,200	955	5'	9.7	[1][6]
NGC 2129	06^h 01.1^m	+23° 19′	Gemini	2,200	10	5'	6.7	[1][25]
NGC 663	01^h 46.1^m	+61° 14′	Cassiopeia	2,420	25	14'	7.1	[1]
NGC 457	01^h 19.1^m	+58° 17′	Cassiopeia	2,429	21	20'	6.4	[26]
NGC 2204	06^h 15.5^m	−18° 40′	Canis Major	2,629	787	13'	8.6	[1]
NGC 884	02^h 22.0^m	+57° 08′	Perseus	2,940	14	18'	4.4	[1][6]
NGC 1931	05^h 31.0^m	+34° 15′	Auriga	3,086	10	3'	10.1	[1]
NGC 2158	06^h 07.4^m	+24° 06′	Gemini	5,071	1,054	5'	8.6	[1]
NGC 6791	19^h 20.9^m	+37° 46′	Lyra	5,853	8,900	16'	9.5	[1][6]
Arp-Madore 2	07^h 38.8^m	−33° 51′	Puppis	8,870	5,000			[27]
Hodge 301	05^h 38.5^m	−69° 04′	Dorado	51,400	25		11	[28][29]
NGC 3293	10^h 35.8^m	–58° 13′	Carina	8400		6'	4.7
NGC 3766 Pearl Cluster	11^h 36.2^m	–61° 37′	Centaurus	1745		5'	5.3

See also

• list of globular clusters
• List of clusters

References

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