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Open clusters are groups of stars that were born out of the same molecular cloud, so they are roughly the same age and distance from us. What makes this particular object special is that it is not one open cluster but two open clusters that are close enough together that we can see both of them through a telescope at the same time.

Perhaps that doesn't sound very exciting, but one of the first things you learn as an amateur astronomer is how small the field of view is through a telescope. Telescopes are very good at zooming in and giving us details for a small part of the sky, but the prize is how small that part of the sky is. So whenever you get two deep sky objects through the same telescope, it is a special treat indeed!

I always show the double cluster to my guests when I host a star party, and I try to impart the excitement of seeing two clusters at the same time. Yeah, they don't get it, either.