Brightest star clusters
Here are the best and brightest star clusters in the night sky, ordered by constellation. Star clusters, like galaxies and nebulae, are extended objects with an apparent size in the night sky. However, they consist of stars that often can be individually resolved. As such, magnitude largely determines how bright they appear to the naked eye.
Also see 225 notable star clusters.
Top 10 best star clusters for telescopes
These are the 10 best and brightest star clusters for telescopes, ordered by approximate awesomness:
Bright Messier star clusters
Here are the brightest star clusters listed in the Messier catalog, ordered by constellation. Messier star clusters are predominately found in the northern hemisphere.
| STAR CLUSTER | MAGNITUDE | CONSTELLATION | |
| Starfish Cluster |  |
7.4 | Auriga |
| Beehive Cluster |  |
3.7 | Cancer |
| King Cobra Cluster |  |
6.1 | Cancer |
| Cooling Tower |  |
6.6 | Cygnus |
| Hercules Cluster |  |
5.8 | Hercules |
| Heart-Shaped Cluster |  |
5.9 | Monocerus |
| Gumball Cluster |  |
7.7 | Ophiucus |
| Great Pegasus Cluster |  |
6.4 | Pegasus |
| Sagittarius Cluster |  |
5.1 | Sagittarius |
| Summer Rose Star |  |
7.4 | Sagittarius |
| Butterfly Cluster |  |
4.2 | Scorpius |
| Ptolemy Cluster |  |
3.3 | Scorpius |
| Wild Duck Cluster |  |
5.8 | Scutum |
| Pleiades |  |
1.6 | Taurus |
Bright Caldwell star clusters
Here are the brightest star clusters listed in the Caldwell catalog, ordered by constellation. Caldwell star clusters are predominately found in the southern hemisphere.
| STAR CLUSTER | MAGNITUDE | CONSTELLATION | |
| Southern Pleiades |  |
1.9 | Carina |
| Wishing Well Cluster |  |
3 | Carina |
| Owl Cluster |  |
6.4 | Casseopeia |
| Lambda Centauri |  |
4.5 | Centaurus |
| Omega Centauri |  |
3.6 | Centaurus |
| Pearl Cluster |  |
5.3 | Centaurus |
| Jewel Box |  |
4.2 | Crux |
| Intergalactic Wanderer |  |
10 | Lynx |
| Satellite Cluster |  |
4.8 | Monoceros |
| S Norma Cluster |  |
5.4 | Norma |
| Double Cluster |  |
4.3 | Perseus |
| Hyades |  |
0.5 | Taurus |
| 47 Tucanae |  |
4 | Tucana |
| Omicron Velorum Cluster |  |
2.5 | Vela |
Bright Herschel 400 star clusters
These are the brightest and most interesting star clusters listed in the Herschell 400 Catalog. Herschel star clusters are generally fainter and harder to spot than Messier and Caldwell star clusters.
| Star Cluster | MAGNITUDE | CONSTELLATION | |
| Carolines Rose |  |
6.7 | Cassiopeia |
| Owl Cluster |  |
6.4 | Cassiopeia |
| Wizard Nebula |  |
7.2 | Cepheus |
| Christmas Tree Cluster |  |
6.7 | Monoceros |
| Cone Nebula |  |
3.9 | Monoceros |
| Double Cluster |  |
4 | Perseus |
| Double Cluster |  |
4 | Perseus |
| Triffid Nebula |  |
6.3 | Sagittarius |