Caldwell 54
Star cluster in Monoceros · 11,000 light-years
🔭 Explore Caldwell 54 in the 3D map →View Caldwell 54 images →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Right ascension | 8h 00m 02s |
| Declination | −10° 46′ |
| Object distance | 11,000 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 7.6 |
| Apparent size | 10.8′ (arc-minutes) |
| Approx. true diameter | 34.6 light-years across |
| Also known as | C54 · NGC 2506 |
Caldwell 54 is a star cluster (NGC 2506) in Monoceros — a family of stars bound by gravity. It appears as number 54 in the Caldwell catalogue, Sir Patrick Moore's 1995 list of 109 bright deep-sky objects for amateur astronomers. It spans roughly 10.8 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 7.6, it is a rewarding binocular and small-telescope target.
Although it appears about 10.8′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 34.6 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.
Observing Caldwell 54
Caldwell 54 lies in the constellation Monoceros and is best placed in the evening sky around January. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. Lying near the celestial equator, it can be seen from both hemispheres. It is a comfortable target for binoculars and small telescopes.
See Caldwell 54 in Universe Finder
Open the interactive 3D map to fly to Caldwell 54 and see it in context among the real stars around it. Launch the 3D view →
Sources
- Position, magnitude and angular size from the OpenNGC catalogue (Mattia Verga).
- Object identity cross-referenced with SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg).
- Image credits and the original observation source are linked with each photograph.
Related objects
- Pleiades — star cluster
- Hercules Cluster — star cluster
- Small Sgr Star Cloud — star cluster
- Messier 25 — star cluster
- Messier 103 — star cluster