Open Cluster NGC 2353
History
On 10 January 1785 William Herschel sweeped his 18.7 inch reflecting telescope through the constellation Monoceros and found the «coarsely scattered clusters of stars» which he cataloged as VIII 34. He described it as «an extensive cluster of scattered stars». [463] In 1888 John L. E. Dreyer added this cluster as NGC 2353. [313]
Physical Properties
NGC 2353 is a young open cluster, located on the eastern edge of the Canis Majoris OB1 association (CMa OB1). The age of the cluster is estimated to 7.6 million years. The number of member stars is estimated to 65. It is uncertain whether the cluster and CMa OB1 are also physically related. [559, 560]
| Designation | NGC 2353 |
| Type | OCL (II2p) |
| Right Ascension (J2000.0) | 07h 14m 30.3s |
| Declination (J2000.0) | -10° 15' 57" |
| Diameter | 18 arcmin |
| Visual magnitude | 7.1 mag |
| Metric Distance | 1.119 kpc |
| Dreyer Description | Cl, L, lC, one vB * |
| Identification, Remarks | WH VIII 34; GC 1506; OCL 567 |
Finder Chart
The open cluster NGC 2353 is located in the constellation Monoceros. The best season for observation is from October until March.
