Messier 46 is an open cluster residing in the constellation Puppis. It consists of ~500 stars, is thought to be ~300 million years old and 5,500 light-years distant. Just above the center of the image lies the planetary nebula NGC2438. It appears to be a part of the cluster, however appearances can be deceiving. NGC2438 is actually much closer at only 3,000 light-years. It also doesn't share the same velocity of the stars within M46. For a zoom-able high resolution image of M46 and other Messier objects please visit the Owl Mountain Observatory Messier catalog at: http://owlmountainobservatory.com/messier/index.htm http://owlmountainobservatory.com https://www.facebook.com/OwlMountainObservatory