Messier 50

Messier 50
Messier 50
	Open Messier 50 in Monoceros
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension	07h 02m 47.5s
Declination	−08° 20′ 16″
Distance	2,870 ly (881 pc)
Apparent magnitude (V)	5.9
Apparent dimensions (V)	16.0′
Physical characteristics
Mass	> 285 M☉ M☉
Radius	8.9 ly (2.73 pc)
Estimated age	140 Myr
Other designations	M50, NGC 2323, Cr 124, C 0700-082, OCl 559
Associations
Constellation	Monoceros
	See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

Messier 50 or M 50, also known as NGC 2323 or the Heart-shaped Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation Monoceros. It was recorded by G. D. Cassini before 1711 and independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1772^[b] while observing Biela's Comet. It is sometimes described as a 'heart-shaped' figure or a blunt arrowhead.^[3]

M50 is about 2,900 light-years away from Earth^[2] and is near to but narrowly not estimated to be gravitationally tied to the Canis Major (CMa) OB1 association.^[4] It has a core radius of 5.9 ly (1.8 pc)^[6] and spans 17.8 ly (5.46 pc).^[4] The cluster has 508 confirmed and 109 probable members – their combined mass is more than 285 M_☉, the mean stellar density would thus be 1.3 stars per cubic parsec.^[4] It is around 140 million years old,^[1] with two high-mass white dwarfs^[7] and two chemically peculiar stars.^[8]

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