C94 · Southern Pleiades
| Chinese name | 南天宝盒/南昴星团 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Constellation | Car |
| RA | 10h43m |
| Dec | −64° |
| Apparent magnitude | 1.9ᵐ |
| Hemisphere | Southern |
| Best season | Spring |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Focal length | 中焦 400–800mm |
About
The Southern Pleiades (IC 2602, anchored by Theta Carinae) lies about 480 light-years away in Carina, a bright, young open cluster. It earns its name by rivaling the northern Pleiades in prominence and ranks among the brightest open clusters in the sky. Led by its brightest member, the 2nd-magnitude star Theta Carinae, its stars scatter across about a degree of sky and are easily seen with the naked eye. Around 30 million years old, it holds a few dozen hot blue-white stars. Large in angular size with bright stars, it is a popular wide-field target in the southern spring sky.