NGC 2477
Template:Short description Template:Infobox Cluster
NGC 2477 (also known as Caldwell 71 or the Termite Hole Cluster<ref name="interstellarum">Template:Cite book</ref>) is an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. It contains about 300 stars,<ref name="seds">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was discovered by Abbé Lacaille in 1751.<ref name="seds" /><ref name=Jones_1969>Template:Cite journal</ref> The cluster's age has been estimated at 700 million years.<ref name="seds" />
Visual appearanceEdit
NGC 2477 is a stunning cluster, almost as extensive in the sky as the full moon. It has been called "one of the top open clusters in the sky",<ref name="ngc-ic-project">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> like a highly resolved globular cluster without the dense center characteristic of globular clusters. Burnham notes that several observers have remarked on its richness, and that although it is smaller than M46 (also an open cluster in Puppis), it is richer and more compact.<ref name="burnham">Template:Cite book</ref>
DistanceEdit
Burnham cites several published distances, ranging from Template:Convert to Template:Convert, where "ly" is the abbreviation for light year.<ref name="burnham" />
NotesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Sky Template:Catalogs Template:Caldwell catalogue Template:Ngc25 Template:Puppis