Menu

NGC 2251 — Open Cluster in Monoceros

Open Cluster Good (56/100)
Magnitude 7.3m OpenCluster Monoceros (Mon) Visible
Star Map
+ List + Plan Star Hop

Observe

1Properties

Magnitude 7.3
Angular Size 5.7′
Cl, vL, E, Ri, lC

Position & Identifiers

RA 06h 34m 38.5s
Dec +08° 21' 59.0"
Constellation Monoceros (Mon)
Catalog NGC 2251

2How easy to spot?

Sign in and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. Easy Easy Easy
150mm Newt. Easy Easy Easy
C8 203mm Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Easy on Seestar S50

3Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Best season Nov – Jan (peak: Dec)

4 Eyepiece View

Log in to set your own equipment
125x TFOV: 0.4° Lim. mag: 13.6
N E

NGC 2251 · 5.7′ diameter

5 Best Magnification

Explore

6 Classification Decoder

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

NGC 2254
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 9.7 0.8° Monoceros
Hubble's Variable Nebula
NGC 2261
Medium
Reflection nebula around a bright star
Reflection Nebula mag 10.0 1.2° Monoceros
Collinder 95
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 9.1 1.8° Monoceros
NGC 2236
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 8.5 2.0° Monoceros
Collinder 106
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 4.6 2.5° Monoceros
T Mon
Easy
Pulsating variable, period 27.0d
Variable Star mag 5.98 2.7° Monoceros
Show on Map

Explore Nightbase

Related knowledge, tools, and stories — no observation planning required.

The Life of Stars
From birth in a nebula to spectacular death — how stars are born, shine, swell, and die, and how to read the clues in their starlight.
Article
Monoceros
Mythology, bright stars, and deep-sky highlights.
Constellation
Saturn
Rings, divisions, and the jewel of the outer Solar System.
Deep dive
}