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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae and Deep-Sky Objects / Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264)

Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264) Position and Visibility Tonight

Where is NGC2264 right now?

NGC2264 is located in the constellation Monoceros. Although NGC2264 is currently 62° above the horizon, it is not visible because it is daytime.

Open the interactive guide to NGC2264’s position and path tonight

NGC2264 visibility on 2026-09-18

NGC2264 Visible from before midnight until sunrise

NGC2264 rise and set timetable

	Time	Elevation
Moonrise, 32.7% illuminated	11:42	10°
Astronomical observing session begins	18:39	-42°
Moonset	20:52	-28°
NGC2264 rise	23:29
Astronomical observing session ends	03:24	46°
Twilight end (−12°)	03:55	51°
Civil sunrise	04:26	56°
Sunrise	04:53	59°
NGC2264 transit	05:58	63°

Track NGC2264 position throughout the night

← 18 September 2026 →

Time
Altitude
Azimuth

Shift the map to change the time and observe NGC2264 changing position in the night sky.

NGC2264 — Image Gallery

DSS Blue

Blue images highlight younger, hotter stars that emit strongly at blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

Red images reveal older, cooler stars and emission nebulae glowing strongly in hydrogen-alpha light.

DSS Near-Infrared

Near-infrared images penetrate dust that obscures visible light and reveal hidden structures.

DSS Composite Image

DSS color images combine blue, red and often near-infrared exposures into a composite view.

The images come from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under contract with NASA, using data from UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), European Southern Observatory (ESO), National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for NGC2264

Double-click to unlock the map.

Object name	NGC2264
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
NGC2264 coordinates	6.68285, 9.89547
Center coordinates	6.68285, 9.89547

Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264) Passage Through Night

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Current position of Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264)

Time	06:33
Latitude	37.3541
Longitude	-121.955
Elevation	62°
Azimuth	196°

Here you can see the current position of NGC2264 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.

When Is Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC2264) Visible Throughout the Year?

NGC2264 will remain visible until May 4, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.

Date	Fri, 18 September 2026
Astronomical observing session begins	18:35
Astronomical observing session ends	03:18
Astronomical observing duration	9h 42m
Rise	23:29
Set	12:28
Elevation at transit	63°
Transit time	05:58
Equatorial coordinates	RA: 06h 40m 58s", Dec: 09° 53' 43s
Magnitude	4
Constellation	Monoceros

The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of NGC2264, including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also see when NGC2264 is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric and Physical Parameters of NGC2264

Coordinates and Visibility

Right Ascension	06h 40m 58s
Declination	09° 53′ 44″
Magnitude	3.90
Constellation	Monoceros
Elevation	61.7°
Azimuth	196°

Data Credits

The deep-sky information on this page comes from the OpenNGC project developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed catalog data for nebulae, galaxies, clusters and other deep-sky objects.

For details or contributions, visit the official repository: OpenNGC GitHub.

Observation Settings