NGC 2627

NGC 2627 is a moderately rich open cluster located in the constellation Pyxis. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 3, 1793. The cluster is estimated to be approximately 6500 light-years away from Earth and its age is estimated to be between 660 and 890 million years.

NGC 2627 appears as a nebulous patch of stars in small telescopes. Larger instruments can resolve many of the individual member stars. The cluster is relatively bright, with an integrated visual magnitude of 8.4. It is located near the galactic plane and therefore experiences some degree of interstellar extinction, which can affect distance and age estimates.

The cluster contains a variety of stars, including some evolved giant stars. Studies of the cluster's color-magnitude diagram have been used to determine its age and distance. NGC 2627 offers valuable insight into stellar evolution and the dynamics of open clusters.