Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Auriga (Aur)  ·  Contains:  B226  ·  M 36  ·  NGC 1960  ·  PGC 168957  ·  PGC 2820348
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M36 - 2017, Gary Imm
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M36 - 2017

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M36 - 2017, Gary Imm
Powered byPixInsight

M36 - 2017

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Description

M36 is an open cluster located 3800 light years away in the constellation of Auriga at a declination of 34 degrees.  It is a magnitude 6 cluster which spans 10 arc-minutes in our apparent view.  This corresponds to a diameter of 12 light years.

Comprised of over 50 stars, it is about the same apparent size as Pleiades but is one of the most distant open Messier clusters at about 10 times the distance away from us as Pleiades. Its distance makes it one of the fainter Messier open clusters. The cluster is relatively young and does not have any red giant stars. I don't think it looks much like a Pinwheel, but the name is more of a play on words since the cluster is located in the "Charioteer" (Auriga) constellation. I think it looks more like a star, with a tail that sweeps up to the right.

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M36 - 2017, Gary Imm