M41 is an open, or galactic, cluster located within the constellation of Canis Major. This cluster is located about 4 degrees South of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. M41 contains about 100 stars of varying colors.
M41 = NGC2287 ( 6h 47.0m -20°44´, 4.5 mag. )
This open cluster in Canis Major is visible with a naked eye 4° S of Sirius (a Canis Majoris - see finder chart below) and was mentioned by Aristotle in 325 BC. Messier observed it on Jan.
M41 (open cluster)
Canis Major is one of Orion's hunting dogs. The brightest star in this constellation is Sirius, often called the Dog Star.
M41 is a globular cluster easily located four degrees south of Sirius. Perhaps a hundred or so stars make up this bright group, fifty of them bright enough to be easily seen in binoculars. At the centre of the group is a red giant.
Another notable star cluster is M41. Its a larger cluster with the brightest stars of about 7th mag. Under good conditions it is visible to the naked eye.
The only Messier object in Canis Major is M41 (NGC 2287), an open cluster of visual magnitude 4.6. It is located about 4 degrees directly south of Sirius.
South of Sirius, the open cluster M41 can be found. Like all open clusters, it contains a few hundred young stars and has no particular shape.
M41 es un racimo abierto que se encuentra al sur de Sirius y es visible en noches claras. También hay algunas galaxias y nébulosas, pero son muy borrosas para poder verlas incluso con la ayuda de un pequeño telescopio.
There is some evidence that the technique has been known since ancient times, as it seems to have been reported by Aristotle while observing the star cluster now known as M41.[2] ...
 See also: Cluster, Star, Constellation, Sky, Orion
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