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Open star cluster

The Wishing Well Cluster

Also NGC 3532 · Caldwell 91

Open in OuranosCompare its size

A big, bright open cluster in Carina, easily seen with the naked eye.

Measured

Distance
1,539 light-years
Size
about 22 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Carina
Position (J2000)
RA 11h 05m 34s, Dec −58.69°

How far, from the Sun

1,540 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light1,540 years
  • Voyager 1's speed27.3 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h16.6 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 was the first target observed by the Hubble Space Telescope, in May 1990.
  • Gaia picks out about 3,414 member stars (Hunt & Reffert 2023).

Where this comes from

  • Hunt & Reffert 2023, A&A 673, A114: Gaia DR3 cluster distance 471.9 pc (16th–84th percentile 471.8–472 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.