NGC 2506
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
Eyepiece View
NGC 2506 · 10.8′ diameter · N up, E left
Best Magnification
Classification Decoder
Survey Image
Loading survey image…
About NGC 2506
Description
NGC 2506 is an open cluster in Monoceros, about 10,000 light-years away. It is a rich, compact cluster containing over 150 stars concentrated in about 7 arcminutes, with an age of roughly 2 billion years.
Observing Tips
Visible as a hazy, unresolved patch in a 4-inch telescope. An 8-inch scope begins to resolve the brighter stars at 100x+. The cluster's distance makes it harder to resolve than most open clusters. Best in winter evenings.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on February 23, 1791. Its great distance and old age make it a valuable laboratory for studying stellar evolution in open clusters.
Fun Facts
At about 2 billion years old, NGC 2506 is one of the oldest open clusters still recognizable as a cluster. It has survived because it orbits relatively far from the galactic plane, avoiding the gravitational disruptions that tear most clusters apart.