Its population of approximately 150 stars of 7th magnitude or fainter includes seven red giants[15] and seven white dwarfs.

[16][17] On 20 May 1990 it became the first target ever observed by the Hubble Space Telescope.

The cluster lies between the constellation Crux and the larger but fainter "False Cross" asterism.

The 4th-magnitude Cepheid variable star x Carinae (V382 Car) appears near the southeast fringes, but it lies between the Sun and the cluster and is not a member of the cluster.

The cluster was first catalogued by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752.