Messier 46
M46
📋 A written introduction is coming — for now this page shows official values only.
Object
- Type (NASA)
- Open Cluster
- Distance from Earth
- 5,400 light-years
- Apparent magnitude
- 10 mag
- Apparent size
- 27 ′
- NASA description
- Most of the stars in this image are part of the open star cluster, Messier 46. The colorful planetary nebula is located in front of the star cluster.
Source:NASA Hubble (Messier/Caldwell catalogs) · checked 2026-11-02 ↗NASA HEASARC (Goddard Space Flight Center) · checked 2026-11-02 ↗
Related
Constellation
In everyday life
- Light from this object takes about 5,400 years to reach Earth — the light you see tonight left 5,400 years ago (official distance ÷ speed of light).
- At magnitude 10 it is fainter than the naked-eye limit (about 6) — you need binoculars or a telescope.
- It spans about 27′ of sky — about the same as the full Moon's 31′.