IC 2602 (OC)
Open Cluster in Carina
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10h 42m 59.7s | -64° 24′ 17.3″ | 1.7° | 1.9 | 11.6 | II3m | OC | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 60′ × 60′
Background
IC 2602 is the “Southern Pleiades” — one of the closest open clusters to Earth at only 480 light-years, and one of the brightest naked-eye clusters in the southern sky. Around 50 million years old, it contains about 60 confirmed members spread over more than a degree, dominated by the bright blue star θ Carinae.
My Observing Notes
30-cm (SkyWatcher 12-inch f/5): Naked-eye and unmistakable. Used throughout the night as a star-hopping reference to other Carina deep-sky objects (NGC 3199, IC 2714 / Mel 104, Mel 101, NGC 3766, NGC 5286). Far too large for the eyepiece — best appreciated with binoculars or the finderscope.(10 April 2026)
References
Charts
Ultra-wide view (~25° field)
Wide-field view with Telrad rings (4°, 2°, 0.5°)
Finderscope view (9×50 RACI, ~4.4° TFOV)
Eyepiece view — 35 mm Panoptic on 12-inch f/5 (1.6° TFOV)