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AsteriaStar
Open cluster · Canis Major

NGC 2374

Deep skyNGC 2374

Scientific overview

NGC 2374 is an open cluster in the constellation Canis Major. It shines at apparent magnitude 8 and spans about 9 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Winter (evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Both (equatorial)

Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.

Location in the sky

Constellation
Canis Major
RA / Dec
7.3989h / -13.2634°
Hemisphere
Both
Season
Winter

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD · NGC 2374

Distance3,953 lySIMBAD · catalogued
Physical size (major axis)10.34897 lySIMBAD · derived
Radial velocity27.2 ± 0.1 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)111.015833 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-13.235 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Distance: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · mesDistance · dist · 2021A&A...651A.104P · distance indicator: paral · catalogued value · source value 1212 pc · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Physical size (major axis): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · derived (OpenNGC angular size × SIMBAD distance) · physical size = angular size × distance (small-angle); angular size from OpenNGC, distance from SIMBAD mesDistance · derived · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2017A&A...600A.106C · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2021A&A...647A..19T · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2021A&A...647A..19T · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11

Physical size is derived from the OpenNGC angular size and the catalogued distance (small-angle: size = angle × distance). This is a Galactic object: its Doppler shift is shown as a radial velocity, not a cosmological redshift. Fields a source did not provide are omitted, never invented.

ObjectTypeMagSize (′)
NGC 2362C 64 · NGC 2362Open cluster4.17.2
M 41M 41 · NGC 2287Open cluster4.512
NGC 2354NGC 2354Open cluster6.54.8
Caroline's ClusterC 58 · NGC 2360Open cluster7.29
NGC 2384NGC 2384Open cluster7.44.8
NGC 2345NGC 2345Open cluster7.76.9
NGC 2367NGC 2367Open cluster7.95.4
NGC 2383NGC 2383Open cluster8.44.2

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • OpenNGCOpenNGC (M. Verga) — NGC/IC, Messier, and Caldwell catalogue data

    Openly-licensed deep-sky catalogue: object types, positions, magnitudes, sizes, morphology, and cross-identifiers.