Messier 37 (M37 or NGC 2099) is a rich open star cluster in the constellation Auriga. Located about 4,511 light-years from Earth, it shines at a magnitude of 6.2 and holds over 500 stars, earning the nickname the "Salt and Pepper Cluster".
Constellation: Auriga Distance: 4,511 light-years Apparent Magnitude: 6.2 Age: Roughly 350 to 550 million years old Discovery: Found by Giovanni Battista Hodierna before 1654; added by Charles Messier in 1764.
Contains more than 150 bright stars brighter than magnitude 12.5.Features at least a dozen distinct red giant stars that stand out with a warm orange-red glow. Spans a true width of about 20 to 25 light-years across space.
Best seen during the winter months in the northern sky. Visible with steady binoculars or small telescopes as a bright, hazy patch of tiny pinprick stars. Appears densest near the middle, with a notable bright orange star close to the center. Image Credit Chuck Ayoub
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