M41
Little Beehive Cluster
Object Data
- Catalog Designation
- M41
- Type
- OpenCluster
- Constellation
- Canis Major
- Magnitude
- 4.5
- Right Ascension
- 06h 45m 60.0s
- Declination
- -20° 45' 60.0"
- Distance
- 2,300 light-years
- Angular Size
- 38.
Survey Image
Loading survey image…
About M41
Description
M41 is a bright, large open cluster in Canis Major, about 2,300 light-years from Earth. It contains roughly 100 stars spread across about 26 light-years, with an age of 190-240 million years. The cluster is dominated by a striking orange K3 giant star near its center, which contrasts beautifully with the surrounding blue-white members.
Observing Tips
Located about 4 degrees due south of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky — making M41 very easy to find. Visible to the naked eye from dark sites as a hazy patch. Binoculars reveal a large, bright cluster with the prominent orange central star. A telescope at 30-50x frames the cluster nicely, showing chains and arcs of stars around the bright orange giant. Sits low for northern observers. Best observed from January through March.
History
Possibly recorded by Aristotle around 325 BC as a hazy spot south of Sirius. Giovanni Battista Hodierna observed it before 1654. Charles Messier cataloged it on January 16, 1765.
Fun Facts
If Aristotle's record is genuine, M41 and M39 may be among the oldest deep-sky observations in history. The orange giant at the center of M41 is about 700 times more luminous than the Sun. The cluster's position just 4 degrees south of Sirius makes it one of the easiest Messier objects to find, yet it is often overlooked.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Feb 28, 2026