The Southern Beehive

Measured

Distance

1,328 light-years

Size

about 20 light-years across (approximate)

Constellation

Carina

Position (J2000)

RA 7h 58m 05s, Dec −60.79°

How far, from the Sun

1,330 light-years. To cross it:

• Light1,330 years
• Voyager 1's speed23.6 million years
• Driving at 100 km/h14.3 billion years

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

Facts

• Its nickname comes from its likeness to the northern Beehive Cluster (M44).
• Gaia picks out about 3,784 member stars (Hunt & Reffert 2023).

Where this comes from

• Hunt & Reffert 2023, A&A 673, A114: Gaia DR3 cluster distance 407.1 pc (16th–84th percentile 407–407.2 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.