#m46

©Chris Hetlage

M46 arriba á esquerda e M47 abaixo á dereita. «Desastre», do latín dis-astro, unha verba ben fermosa que significa ‘separación de estrelas’.

Clara Vidal

Agora hai estrelas no ceo e no mar. Ao ir para a cama, pintarnos de azul. Ao ir para a cama, pintarnos de azul...

Days of Messier: Open Cluster M46

This open cluster was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771. It contains about 500 stars and lies 5,500 light years away from Earth. Astronomers estimate its age at 300 million years.

The planetary nebula NGC 2438, discovered by William Herschel in 1786, appears to lie within the cluster. However, it has a very different velocity than the cluster and is estimated to be only 2,900 light years distant. However, the Calabash Nebula, not visible in the picture above, is considered very likely to be a member of M46.