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The Alpha Persei Cluster

Also Melotte 20 · Collinder 39

Open in OuranosCompare its size

A large, nearby group of bright young stars around Mirfak, the brightest star in Perseus.

Measured

Distance
566 light-years
Size
about 28 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Perseus
Position (J2000)
RA 3h 25m 20s, Dec +49.12°

How far, from the Sun

566 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light566 years
  • Voyager 1's speed10.1 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h6.11 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It is easily visible to the naked eye and a fine sight in a small telescope.
  • Gaia picks out about 938 member stars (Hunt & Reffert 2023).

Where this comes from

  • Hunt & Reffert 2023, A&A 673, A114: Gaia DR3 cluster distance 173.6 pc (16th–84th percentile 173.5–173.6 pc)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.