Messier 34

Messier 34 (M34) is a open cluster in the constellation Perseus, with an apparent magnitude of 5.2. It is about 1,628 light-years away.

Free to use with credit: Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), CC BY 4.0 · More

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<a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m34/"><img src="https://constellationmap.org/img/messier/m34-finder-chart.png" alt="Finder chart for Messier 34 in the constellation Perseus" width="800" height="800" loading="lazy"></a>
<br><small><a href="https://constellationmap.org/messier/m34/">Messier 34</a> · Atlas of the Sky (constellationmap.org), <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY 4.0</a></small>

Facts

Catalog	Messier 34 (M34)
Type	open cluster
Constellation	Perseus
Apparent magnitude	5.2
Distance	about 1,628 light-years
Right ascension	2 h 42.1 min
Declination	+42.76°
Best month	December (at about 9 pm)

Sources: star positions, magnitudes and colors from the Yale Bright Star Catalogue; constellation boundaries and star names from the IAU; areas and distances from Wikidata; stick figures by M. van der Sluys. How the maps are made.

How to find M34

M34 is in Perseus. From 40° N it is highest in the north in December evenings, about 87° up. From 35° S it reaches about 12° in the north. Binoculars show it under a dark sky; a small telescope shows more detail.

Perseus constellation →

Other Messier objects in Perseus

Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76)

The Messier catalog →

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Messier 34

Facts

How to find M34

Other Messier objects in Perseus

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