Fourteen stars brighter than 10th magnitude and many others fainter from the open cluster NGC 2264 form the outlines of an upside-down small fir tree. The brightest star, 15 Mon (magnitude 4.6), represents the tree's trunk.

VIC: Truly a gem of the winter sky suitable for all sizes of telescopes. In contrast to the nearby Rosette, where the central star cluster NGC 2244 resembles nothing, in this part of Monoceros, there is plenty to see.

10x50: ★★★★☆

15x70: ★★★★☆

25x100: ★★★☆☆