C64
NGC 2362
Object Data
- Catalog Designation
- C64
- Type
- OpenCluster
- Constellation
- Canis Major
- Magnitude
- 4.1
- Right Ascension
- 07h 08m 42.0s
- Declination
- -24° 57' 18.0"
- Distance
- 5,100 light-years
- Angular Size
- 8
Survey Image
Loading survey image…
About C64
Description
NGC 2362 is a compact, young open cluster in Canis Major, about 4,800 light-years away. It is dominated by the brilliant magnitude 4.4 blue supergiant Tau Canis Majoris at its center, surrounded by about 60 fainter members within 8 arcminutes.
Observing Tips
A striking sight in small telescopes, with the dazzling Tau CMa surrounded by a spray of fainter stars. Best at 60-100x. The cluster is easy to find as Tau CMa is visible to the naked eye. Best in winter evenings.
History
Discovered by Giovanni Battista Hodierna before 1654. The cluster is only about 5 million years old, making it one of the youngest open clusters known.
Fun Facts
Tau Canis Majoris, the cluster's brightest star, is actually a multiple star system with at least 5 components. The primary is an O-type supergiant about 50,000 times more luminous than the Sun and will likely explode as a supernova.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026