| Description | Discovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Koehler before 1779, Messier's entry on April 6, 1780 is terse: "Cluster of small stars with nebulosity, below the southern claw of Cancer. The position determined from the star Alpha [Cancri]." <--> This open cluster is denser than most and ellipsoidal in outline, reminiscent of an eye, rotated slightly counter-clockwise. The illusion is enhanced because the majority of stars are found towards the center, golden yellow in color, representing the iris. |
