M41 The Little Beehive Open Star Cluster

Messier 41 (also known as M41 or NGC 2287) is an open cluster in the Canis Major constellation. It was discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654 and was perhaps known to Aristotle about 325 BC. M41 lies about four degrees almost exactly south of Sirius. It contains about 100 stars including several red giants, the brightest being a spectral type K3 giant near the cluster's center. The cluster is estimated to be moving away from us at about 12 miles per second The diameter of the cluster is between 25 and 26 light years and its age is estimated at between 190 and 240 million years old. M41 is also referred to as NGC 2287. The bright red star near the center of the cluster is Prominen. It is estimated to be 700 times brighter than our own sun. This cluster is fairly close as deep sky phenomenon get. It is estimated to be approximately 2300 light years away from our planet Earth.