Messier Catalog » M40 — Winecke 4

Double Star in Ursa Major

Charles Messier was looking for a nebula but found this double star instead. It is one of the few items in the catalog that isn't a galaxy, cluster, or nebula. He may have been searching for the two galaxies visible at the edge of this frame.
M40

Charles Messier was looking for a nebula but found this double star instead. It is one of the few items in the catalog that isn't a galaxy, cluster, or nebula. He may have been searching for the two galaxies visible at the edge of this frame.

 
RA

12h 22.2m

Dec

58°5

Magnitude

9.3 ⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪⚫

Size

49

Distance

510 light years

Season

🌼 Spring

Difficulty

🟢 Easy

 
M41: NGC 2287 »