M34 is a bright, young cluster of stars that will fill your eyepiece with points of light, easy to spot in any scope.

| Published: November 12, 2026

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The constellation Perseus is famous for its bright Double Cluster, but these two open clusters aren’t the only groups of young stars in the Hero worth viewing. Today, let’s shift our gaze to the western portion of this constellation, near its border with Andromeda, to check out M34, a mid-5th-magnitude open cluster containing about 100 stars.

Sitting 5.2° west-northwest of 2nd-magnitude Algol (Beta [β] Persei), M34 spans about half a degree, roughly the size of the Full Moon. In physical space, astronomers believe the group spans about 14 light-years and sits 1,400 light-years away. It’s best seen under lower magnifications, such as in binoculars or small amateur scopes (4 inches or so).…