M48 is an Open Cluster in Hydra and lies 1,500 Light-Years from us.  M48 is estimated to be 300 Million years old.  Intrestingly there is actually no cluster in the position indicated by Messier.

 

The value that he gave for the right ascension matches that of M48 (NGC 2548), however, his declination is off by five degrees.

 

 

 

 

M48 Open Cluster