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AsteriaStar
Open cluster · Puppis

NGC 2451

Deep skyNGC 2451

Scientific overview

NGC 2451 is an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.5 and spans about 37.5 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Winter (S. evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Southern

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
Puppis
RA / Dec
7.7542h / -37.9674°
Hemisphere
Southern
Season
Winter

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD · NGC 2451

Radial velocity22.85 ± 0.09 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)116.35 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-37.966667 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2018A&A...616A..10G · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 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 (′)
M 47M 47 · NGC 2422Open cluster4.419.8
NGC 2477C 71 · NGC 2477Open cluster5.818.6
M 46M 46 · NGC 2437Open cluster6.121
M 93M 93 · NGC 2447Open cluster6.215
NGC 2546NGC 2546Open cluster6.316.5
NGC 2520NGC 2520Open cluster6.59.3
NGC 2539NGC 2539Open cluster6.512.3
NGC 2423NGC 2423Open cluster6.711.7

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.