The brightest star clusters

TOP 50

The brightest star cluster in this catalogue is Pleiades, at apparent magnitude 1.20 (V). Next are ο Vel Cluster and NGC 6231.

Open clusters of young stars still travelling together, and globular clusters holding hundreds of thousands of ancient ones. Several are naked-eye objects that have been recorded for as long as anyone has written the sky down.

NAME
CLASS
MASS
DISTANCE
MAG
CONSTELLATION
Pleiades★
Open cluster
—
444.0 ly
1.20 V
Taurus
ο Vel Cluster
Open cluster
—
493.5 ly
2.50 V
Vela
NGC 6231
Open cluster
—
5275 ly
2.60 V
Scorpius
Wishing Well Cluster
Open cluster
—
1557 ly
3.00 V
Carina
Beehive
Open cluster
—
605.0 ly
3.10 V
Cancer
Ptolemy's Cluster
Open cluster
—
905.7 ly
3.30 V
Scorpius
Brocchi's Cluster
Stellar association
—
—
3.60 V
Vulpecula
h Persei Cluster★
Open cluster
—
7620 ly
3.70 V
Perseus
NGC 2516
Open cluster
—
1334 ly
3.80 V
Carina
χ Persei Cluster
Open cluster
—
7638 ly
3.80 V
Perseus
NGC 2232
Open cluster
—
1053 ly
3.90 V
Monoceros
47 Tuc Cluster★
Globular cluster
—
15 000 ly
4.09 V
Tucana
NGC 2362
Open cluster
—
4229 ly
4.10 V
Canis Major
Butterfly Cluster
Open cluster
—
1482 ly
4.20 V
Scorpius
IC 4665
Open cluster
—
1126 ly
4.20 V
Ophiuchus
NGC 3114
Open cluster
—
3318 ly
4.20 V
Carina
IC 2581
Open cluster
—
8549 ly
4.30 V
Carina
M47
Open cluster
—
1554 ly
4.40 V
Puppis
M41
Open cluster
—
2349 ly
4.50 V
Canis Major
Small Sgr Star Cloud
Stellar association
—
—
4.50 V
Sagittarius
IC 2395
Open cluster
—
2317 ly
4.60 V
Vela
IC 4756
Open cluster
—
1537 ly
4.60 V
Serpens
M25
Open cluster
—
2114 ly
4.60 V
Sagittarius
M39
Open cluster
—
969.0 ly
4.60 V
Cygnus
NGC 6633
Open cluster
—
1277 ly
4.60 V
Ophiuchus
NGC 2547
Open cluster
—
1263 ly
4.70 V
Vela
NGC 3293
Open cluster
—
8059 ly
4.70 V
Carina
M10
Globular cluster
—
14 025 ly
4.98 V
Ophiuchus
M35
Open cluster
—
2813 ly
5.10 V
Gemini
NGC 6025
Open cluster
—
2513 ly
5.10 V
Triangulum Australe
NGC 6397
Globular cluster
—
7175 ly
5.17 V
Ara
M34
Open cluster
—
1649 ly
5.20 V
Perseus
NGC 6871
Open cluster
—
6005 ly
5.20 V
Cygnus
Pearl Cluster
Open cluster
—
6678 ly
5.30 V
Centaurus
NGC 5138
Open cluster
—
6052 ly
5.33 V
Centaurus
Omega Centauri★
Globular cluster
—
17 700 ly
5.33 V
Centaurus
M4
Globular cluster
—
7175 ly
5.40 V
Scorpius
NGC 2281
Open cluster
—
1694 ly
5.40 V
Auriga
NGC 6281
Open cluster
—
1715 ly
5.40 V
Scorpius
S Nor Cluster
Open cluster
—
3095 ly
5.40 V
Norma
M23
Open cluster
—
2359 ly
5.50 V
Sagittarius
NGC 5662
Open cluster
—
2476 ly
5.50 V
Centaurus
NGC 6374
Open cluster
—
3617 ly
5.50 V
Scorpius
M19
Globular cluster
—
27 723 ly
5.57 V
Ophiuchus
M37
Open cluster
—
4690 ly
5.60 V
Auriga
NGC 5460
Open cluster
—
2383 ly
5.60 V
Centaurus
NGC 6067
Open cluster
—
6916 ly
5.60 V
Norma
NGC 7686
Open cluster
—
—
5.60 V
Andromeda
NGC 2808
Globular cluster
—
30 333 ly
5.69 V
Carina
NGC 752
Open cluster
—
1438 ly
5.70 V
Andromeda
SEE ALSOALL STAR CLUSTERS