A year-round tour of the finest open star clusters visible from the northern hemisphere, ordered by right ascension so they trace the seasons from autumn through summer. Open clusters are among the most rewarding telescopic objects — from the naked-eye splendor of the Pleiades to the dense swarm of the Wild Duck Cluster, each has its own character. This list spans the full range: young and old, sparse and rich, binocular and telescopic, including several that contain hidden treasures like planetary nebulae or dramatic asterisms.
Publicado por Skybred Publicado em March 01, 2026
25
Total de Objetos
Objetos na Lista
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Owl Cluster
C13
NGC 457
Also called the ET Cluster or Dragonfly Cluster — two bright stars form 'eyes' with chains of fainter stars spreading out like wings. The pattern is unmistakable at 50-80x. The bright star Phi Cassiopeiae (mag 5.0) marks one eye. A fun cluster to show newcomers, especially children. About 80 stars in a 13' field.
OpenCluster · Cas · Mag 6.4
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C28
C28
NGC 752
One of the oldest open clusters at 1.5 billion years — most clusters dissolve long before this age. Its 60+ scattered stars fill a wide 50' field, best in binoculars or a rich-field telescope at low power. Many members are evolved orange and yellow giants, giving the cluster a warm, golden hue. Located 5° south of Gamma Andromedae.
OpenCluster · And · Mag 5.7
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Double Cluster
C14
NGC 869
The crown jewel of all open clusters — two rich swarms (NGC 869 and NGC 884) side by side, each containing several hundred stars. Visible to the naked eye as a bright patch between Perseus and Cassiopeia. At 40-60x both fit in one field, dazzling with blue-white supergiants sprinkled with orange-red giants. A desert-island deep sky object.
OpenCluster · Per · Mag 4.3
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M34
M34
NGC 1039
A bright, loose cluster whose stars trace curving chains reminiscent of spiral arms — hence the name. About 80 stars spanning 35', best at 30-50x where the spiraling pattern is most apparent. Contains several attractive double stars. Located midway between Algol and Gamma Andromedae, making it easy to find with binoculars.
OpenCluster · Per · Mag 5.5
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M45
M45
–
The most famous star cluster in the sky — known across every ancient culture from Japan (Subaru) to the Maori. Six to seven stars visible to the naked eye; binoculars reveal dozens more in a stunning field. Under dark skies with clean optics, the blue reflection nebulosity around the brightest stars is visible. Best at lowest magnification. A timeless wonder.
OpenCluster · Tau · Mag 1.6
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NGC 1502
NGC 1502
A compact, bright cluster of about 45 stars anchoring the southern end of Kemble's Cascade — a stunning 2.5°-long chain of 20+ stars visible in binoculars. The cluster itself features a bright double star (Struve 485, mag 6.9 + 6.9 at 18") at its heart. Start at the cascade's northern end near Alpha Camelopardalis and sweep south to arrive here.
OpenCluster · Cam · Mag 5.7
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Hyades
C41
The nearest open cluster to Earth at just 153 light-years — so close its stars are scattered across 5° of sky, forming the V-shaped face of Taurus. Best with the naked eye or binoculars (too large for most telescopes). The brilliant orange star Aldebaran is a foreground interloper, not a true member. Contains many fine double stars and over 400 members.
OpenCluster · Tau · Mag 0.5
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M38
M38
NGC 1912
The faintest of the three Auriga Messier clusters, but notable for its distinctive cross or starfish pattern of bright star chains. About 100 stars spread across 21'. The small cluster NGC 1907 lies just 30' to the south — both fit in the same low-power field for a nice contrast between a loose and a compact cluster.
OpenCluster · Aur · Mag 7.4
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M36
M36
NGC 1960
The most compact of the Auriga trio — about 60 young blue-white stars packed into 12'. Its brightest members form a pinwheel pattern visible at 60-80x. Often compared to a miniature Pleiades. Located midway between M37 and M38, all three can be visited in a single sweep along the Milky Way through Auriga.
OpenCluster · Aur · Mag 6.3
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M37
M37
NGC 2099
The richest and finest of the three Auriga clusters, with over 500 stars in a 24' field. At 100x, it is a dazzling carpet of faint stars peppered with a dozen orange giants — hence the salt and pepper name. A prominent red star sits near the center. Many observers consider it the best open cluster in Auriga and among the finest in the winter sky.
OpenCluster · Aur · Mag 6.2
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M35
M35
NGC 2168
A large, bright cluster visible to the naked eye at the foot of Castor in Gemini. About 200 stars fill a generous 28' field with curving chains and loops. Just 15' SW, the compact cluster NGC 2158 (mag 8.6) appears as a hazy patch — it is actually 5 times more distant, creating a remarkable depth-of-field comparison.
OpenCluster · Gem · Mag 5.3
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C50
C50
NGC 2244
The young, hot star cluster at the heart of the Rosette Nebula — its ultraviolet radiation has carved a central cavity in the surrounding gas. The cluster itself (NGC 2244) is visible in binoculars as a rectangular group of bright stars. With an OIII or UHC filter, the nebula's ring shape emerges in 4-inch scopes. One of the finest emission nebula-cluster combinations in the sky.
OpenCluster · Mon · Mag 4.8
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M50
M50
NGC 2323
A pretty cluster of about 200 stars forming a heart-shaped outline visible at 50-80x. A striking red giant (mag 7.9) near the center adds a splash of color against the blue-white field. Located in Monoceros between Sirius and Procyon, it is easy to find but often overlooked in favor of its brighter neighbors. Spans 16'.
OpenCluster · Mon · Mag 5.9
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M47
M47
NGC 2422
One of the brightest open clusters — a coarse group of 50 stars dominated by blue-white suns, some of 5th magnitude. Visible to the naked eye, and glittering in binoculars. Forms a spectacular wide-field pair with M46 just 1.5° to the east. The two are a study in contrasts: M47 is young, bright, and sparse; M46 is old, faint, and very rich.
OpenCluster · Pup · Mag 4.4
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M46
M46
NGC 2437
A rich, symmetrical swarm of 500+ stars appearing as a fine granular haze that resolves beautifully at 80-100x. Its hidden treasure: the planetary nebula NGC 2438 sits on its northern edge — a tiny smoke ring visible as a small gray disc among the stars. The nebula is actually a foreground object, not a true cluster member. One of the richest Messier clusters.
OpenCluster · Pup · Mag 6.0
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M44
M44
NGC 2632
One of the nearest open clusters at 577 light-years, visible to the naked eye as a misty glow in Cancer. Known since antiquity as Praesepe (the Manger). Best in binoculars or a rich-field scope — over 1,000 stars spread across 1.5°. Ancient Greeks used its visibility as a weather predictor: if it vanished, rain was coming.
OpenCluster · Cnc · Mag 3.7
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M67
M67
NGC 2682
One of the oldest known open clusters at nearly 4 billion years — its stars have a similar age and composition to our Sun, making it an important benchmark for stellar evolution. About 500 stars in a compact 30' area, beautifully resolved at 50-80x. Located 2° south of Alpha Cancri. A quiet but deeply satisfying cluster.
OpenCluster · Cnc · Mag 6.1
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IC 4665
IC 4665
A large, sparse cluster spanning over 1° — best in binoculars or a finder scope. About 30 bright stars scattered loosely, making it nearly invisible at high magnification. At just 36 million years old, its members are hot blue-white stars. Located 1.5° NE of Cebalrai (Beta Ophiuchi). A fine summer binocular object often overlooked.
OpenCluster · Oph · Mag 4.2
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NGC 6633
NGC 6633
A bright, loose cluster of about 30 stars spanning 27' in eastern Ophiuchus. Its brightest stars form a distinctive arrowhead or V-shape visible in binoculars. Just 3° SE of IC 4756, the two make a fine binocular double cluster for summer evenings. Easy to find between Ophiuchus and Aquila along the Milky Way.
OpenCluster · Oph · Mag 4.6
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M25
M25
IC 4725
A bright, scattered cluster of about 80 stars in the rich Sagittarius Milky Way. Its jewel is the Cepheid variable U Sagittarii (mag 6.3-7.1, period 6.7 days) — one of the few naked-eye Cepheids in a cluster. Spans 32', best at 30-50x. Located 6° north of the Teapot lid. A fine summer binocular and small-telescope target.
OpenCluster · Sgr · Mag 4.6
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M11
M11
NGC 6705
The richest and most concentrated open cluster in the Messier catalog — nearly 3,000 stars packed into 14', rivaling a loose globular in density. A bright star at the apex leads a fan-shaped wedge of stars like a flock of wild ducks in flight. Needs 80-100x to resolve the dense stellar background. One of the top deep sky objects of summer.
OpenCluster · Sct · Mag 5.8
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NGC 6871
NGC 6871
A bright, loose cluster of young blue supergiants embedded in the Cygnus Milky Way. About 30 stars in a 20' area. Part of the Cygnus OB3 association, one of the most active star-forming regions in our spiral arm. Its rich surroundings make it a stunning binocular sweep — the cluster fades into a spectacular star field with subtle dark lanes.
OpenCluster · Cyg · Mag 5.2
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M39
M39
NGC 7092
A bright, sparse cluster of about 30 stars forming a distinctive triangular pattern. Its members are scattered across 32', requiring low power (20-30x) or binoculars to appreciate the overall shape. Located 9° NE of Deneb in a beautiful Milky Way field. Best in early autumn when Cygnus rides high overhead.
OpenCluster · Cyg · Mag 4.6
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M52
M52
NGC 7654
A rich, compressed fan of about 200 stars with a bright orange star at its western edge. Partially resolved at 50x with a granular, hazy background of fainter members. The famous Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) lies just 35' to the SW. Located near the Cassiopeia-Cepheus border, it is circumpolar from mid-northern latitudes and visible year-round.
OpenCluster · Cas · Mag 7.3
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NGC 7789
NGC 7789
Discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783, this is one of the richest open clusters in the sky — over 1,000 stars in a 16' field. At 80-100x, curving dark lanes between the stars create a rose-petal pattern. At 1.6 billion years old, many red giants dot the field among the blue-white stars. A breathtaking sight in 8-inch or larger scopes and a fitting finale to any Cassiopeia tour.
OpenCluster · Cas · Mag 6.7
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