M37
Where is M37?
Look southeast, about 70° up at 05:17 in Auriga. It rises at 20:15 and climbs through the night.
- Rises
- 20:15
- Highest
- 05:55
- Sets
- 15:38
- Best after dark
- 05:17 · 70°
Can I see M37 tonight?
From London tonight, M37 is above the horizon after dark. It’s highest just before dawn, around 05:17, in the southeast at 70°.
At magnitude 5.6, with its light spread out, it needs binoculars and a dark sky.
This is position and timing only: clouds, haze and light pollution aren’t included.
What does M37 look like?
Eyes
Not easily seen with the eye.
Binoculars
A rich, grainy glow; M36 and M38 are nearby.
Telescope
A beautiful spread of faint stars at medium power, with an orange star near the middle.
About M37
M37 is the richest of the three bright Messier clusters in Auriga, with several hundred stars about 4,500 light-years away.
Its stars are evenly spread like fine sand, with a single orange star near the center.
M37 is several hundred million years old, older than its neighbors M36 and M38. It was first recorded by Giovanni Hodierna before 1654 and added by Messier in 1764.
The three Auriga clusters are similar distances from us, a few thousand light-years, and lie in the same part of the Milky Way. Seeing all three in one session is a good way to compare how open clusters differ.
The orange star near M37’s center is a red giant, one of the cluster’s more evolved members.
Auriga is highest on Northern Hemisphere winter evenings, when the cluster is well placed for telescopes.
Nearby in the sky
Questions
Which Auriga cluster is the best?
Sources: SkyMate; star chart: Wikidata (CC0). Positions computed for your place and time with astronomy-engine. Data & Licences