Messier 50
Messier 50 or M 50, also known as NGC 2323, 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 on April 5, 1772 while observing Biela's Comet. It is sometimes described as a 'heart-shaped' figure or a blunt arrowhead.
M50 is at a distance of about 3,000 light-years away from Earth and is located near the edge of the CMa OB1 association. It has a core radius of and spans. The cluster has a 508 confirmed members with a combined mass of more than, for a stellar density of 1.3 stars per cubic parsec. It is around 140 million years old, with two high-mass white dwarfs and two chemically peculiar stars.Gallery
