NGC 2232

Open Cluster NGC 2232 (= H VIII.25, GC 1415; Collinder 93), in Monoceros

Right Ascension 06 : 26.6 (h:m)
Declination -04 : 45 (deg:m)
Distance 1.0 (kly)
Visual Brightness 3.9 (mag)
Apparent Dimension 30 (arc min)

Discovered by William Herschel in 1779.

William Herschel discovered open cluster NGC 2232 on December 5, 1779, with his 6.2-inch reflector (7-ft. FL). This was the first deepsky object he discovered, and on this occasion, his first early objects found before he started his systematical survey for nebulae and clusters. This event was just noticed without cataloging the object. When doing his systematic survey, he found it again on October 16, 1784, and included it in his catalog as H VIII.25.

Modern parallax measurement has determined the distance of this cluster quite acurately, at an amount of 1,040 light-years. Its age has been estimated at about 53 million years. It was classified as of Trumpler type "IV,3,p" - not well detached from surrounding star field, large range in brightness of its stars, and poor (less than 50 stars).

.. more to come ..

  • Jean-Claude Mermilliod's WEBDA cluster page for NGC 2232
  • SIMBAD Data of NGC 2232
  • Publications on NGC 2232 (NASA ADS)
  • Observing Reports for NGC 2232 (IAAC Netastrocatalog)
  • NGC Online data for NGC 2232

  • Wikipedia page for NGC 2232

    Hartmut Frommert
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    Last Modification: July 25, 2026