NGC 2158

NGC 2158
NGC 2158 to the lower right of M35
Credit: 2MASS/NASA
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension06h 07m 25s
Declination+24° 05.8′
Distance11,000+ ly (3600±400 pc)
Apparent magnitude (V)8.6
Apparent dimensions (V)5 arcmin
Physical characteristics
Mass3067 ±69.84 M
Radius8 ly
Estimated age~2 billion yrs
Other designationsOCL 468, Lund 206, Melotte 40
Associations
ConstellationGemini
GalaxyMilky Way

NGC 2158, also known as OCL 468, Lund 206 or Melotte 40, it is an open cluster of stars located around 11,000 light years (3600 ±400 pc) from Earth in the constellation of Gemini. It is of intermediate age being around 2 billion years old. The cluster is populous with stars containing some 3000 ±69 stars within a radius of about 8 light years.

It is, in angle, immediately southwest of open cluster Messier 35. The two clusters are unrelated, as the subject is around 9,000 light years further away.