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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M52
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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
Your location: Santa Clara, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
37.3541
Longitude:
-121.955

M52 Position and Visibility Tonight

M52

Where is M52 right now?

M52 is located in the constellation Cassiopeia. At the current time, it is above the horizon at an altitude of 37 degrees toward the northeast from your location, with an apparent magnitude of 6.90.
Twilight begins at 16:55 local time, and at that moment, M52 will appear at an altitude of 33 degrees toward the northeast.

M52 Visibility on February 27

M52 is Not visible tonight

M52 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M52 is always above the horizon
Moon Rise, 66.8% illuminated 10:4866°
M52 transit11:0566°
Sunset15:5740°
Civil sunset16:2537°
Astrosession begin17:2530°
M52 is always above the horizon
Moon Set02:2817°
Astrosession end03:1421°
Civil sunrise04:1527°
Sunrise04:4230°

Track M52 Position Throughout the Night

← Fri, 27 February 2026 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M52 changing position in the night sky.

M52 - Open Cluster

M52 is an open cluster located in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1774. The cluster contains a rich population of young, hot stars.

M52 spans about 19 light-years across and contains around 200 stars. The cluster is approximately 5,000 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 7.3, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M52 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M52 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M52 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M52 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M52 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

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

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

Finder Chart for M52

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameM52
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M52 coordinates23.41344, 61.59317
Center coordinates23.41344, 61.59317

M52 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M52

Time16:20
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
M52 elevation37°
M52 Azimuth36°
Here you can see the current position of the M52 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M52's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M52


M52 will be visible until March, 6, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.
Time
DateSat, 28 February 2026
Twighlight start17:26
Twighlight end03:12
Twighlight duration10h 46m
RiseM52 is always up
SetM52 is always up
Elevation at transit66°
Transit time11:01
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 23h 24m 48s", Dec: 61° 35' 35s
Magnitude7
ConstellationCassiopeia
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M52, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M52 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric & Physical Parameters of M52

Coordinates & Visibility

Right Ascension23.41344°
Declination61.59317°
Magnitude6.90
ConstellationCassiopeia
Elevation37.3°
Azimuth35.9°

Data Credits

The nebulae information on this page is sourced from the OpenNGC project, developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed data on the NGC catalog, which is a valuable resource for exploring deep-sky objects such as nebulae.

For more details or to contribute to OpenNGC, visit the official GitHub repository: OpenNGC on GitHub.