NGC 2362 (OC)
Open Cluster in CanisMajor
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07h 18m 40.6s | -24° 57′ 31.8″ | 8.0′ | 4.1 | 8.4 | I3p | OC | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 15′ × 15′
Background
NGC 2362 is the “Tau Canis Majoris” Cluster — a young ( 5 Myr) open cluster 5,100 light-years away. Distinguished by its brightest member, the 4.4-magnitude τ Canis Majoris, which dominates the centre of the cluster. One of the most striking single-bright-star clusters in the southern sky.
My Observing Notes
30-cm (SkyWatcher 12-inch f/5): τ Canis Majoris (mag 4.4) is naked-eye easy from a dark sky; the finder picks up not much else. In the eyepiece, τ CMa is surrounded by a dense collection of 20–30 bright stars — a real beauty. A high-power eyepiece reveals a tight-knit collection of bright stars in an irregular pattern, akin to the Jewel Box.(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)