NGC 2354 (OC)
Open Cluster in CanisMajor
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07h 14m 09.6s | -25° 41′ 37.9″ | 20.0′ | 6.5 | 12.7 | III2m | OC | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 30′ × 30′
Background
NGC 2354 is a moderately rich, larger open cluster in Canis Major 13,000 light-years away. Around 200 million years old; 40 confirmed members spread across half a degree.
My Observing Notes
30-cm (SkyWatcher 12-inch f/5): Place NGC 2362 on one edge of the 35 mm field and NGC 2354 sits on the opposite edge — but you'll want to centre it to capture its much larger, sparser nature. A striking contrast having two such different clusters side by side.(Friday, March 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)