NGC 2477
Encyclopedia
NGC 2477 is an open cluster
in the constellation
Puppis
. It contains about 300 stars, and was discovered by Abbe Lacaille in 1751. The cluster's age has been estimated at about 700 million years.
without the dense center characteristic of globular clusters. Burnham
notes that several observers have remarked on its richness, and that although it is smaller than M46
(also an open cluster in Puppis), it is richer and more compact.
to 1900 pc. The average of these is about 1100 pc or 3600 light-year
s.
Open cluster
An open cluster is a group of up to a few thousand stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud and have roughly the same age. More than 1,100 open clusters have been discovered within the Milky Way Galaxy, and many more are thought to exist...
in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Puppis
Puppis
Puppis is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is the Latin word for the poop deck of a ship, and Puppis represents the deck of the ship and its deckhouses...
. It contains about 300 stars, and was discovered by Abbe Lacaille in 1751. The cluster's age has been estimated at about 700 million years.
Visual appearance
NGC 2477 is a stunning cluster, almost as extensive in the sky as the full moon. It has been called "one of the top open clusters in the sky", like a highly-resolved globular clusterGlobular cluster
A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers. The name of this category of star cluster is...
without the dense center characteristic of globular clusters. Burnham
Robert Burnham, Jr.
Robert Burnham, Jr. was an American astronomer. He is best known for writing the classic three-volume Burnham's Celestial Handbook.-Early work:...
notes that several observers have remarked on its richness, and that although it is smaller than M46
Messier 46
Messier 46 is an open cluster in the constellation of Puppis. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771...
(also an open cluster in Puppis), it is richer and more compact.
Distance
Burnham cites several published distances, ranging from 700 pcParsec
The parsec is a unit of length used in astronomy. It is about 3.26 light-years, or just under 31 trillion kilometres ....
to 1900 pc. The average of these is about 1100 pc or 3600 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s.