John Herschel discovered NGC 2453 = h3101 on 5 Feb 1837 and recorded "a small but condensed cluster, Class VII. Pretty rich. Dia 3'. [This is the cluster referred to, as in the field with the Planetary Nebula (NGC 2452).]"

300/350mm - 13.1" (3/24/84): about a dozen stars resolved in a compact 2.5' cluster including three mag 9.5-10 stars. The brightest mag 9.5 star is at the NW edge. There is one dense, partially resolved clump. Planetary nebula NGC 2452 lies 6' SSW. Clouds may have interfered with the observation.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/2/02): at 220x, this is a small but dense open cluster with about two dozen stars resolved in a 3' region with a mag 9.5 star (HD 63360) at the NW edge. A very rich 1' clump of mag 12-13 stars is on the SE side with a mag 11.5 star at the south tip of this clump. Two mag 10 stars are 3' S and 3' SE of the central group. Planetary nebula NGC 2452 is in the field 8' SSW making for an interesting pair.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb