Dec 282012
Located only 26′ southwest of its bigger, brighter neighbor, M 35, this open star cluster is often overlooked by observers. First discovered by William Herschel in 1784 and originally thought to be a globular cluster, several studies have shown it to be an old open star cluster some 11,750 LY distant. It is located on the extreme western edge of the constellation Gemini.
(NGC 2158) [C:41x30s]