This cluster was discovered on April 5, 1772 by Charles Messier, but possibly G.D. Cassini had already discovered it before 1711, according to a report by his son, Jacques Cassini, in his book of 1740, Elements of Astronomy.

Open cluster M50 is probably about 3,200 light years distant. Its angular diameter of about 15x20' therefore corresponds to a linear extension of about 20 light-years, the central dense part being only about 10' or 10 light-years in diameter. M50 has estimated its population of about 200 stars in the main body.

The brightest star is of spectral type B6 and mag 7.85, and the age is estimated as 78 million years. 7' south of the center is a red M giant, contrasting prominently against its blue-white neighbor stars. The cluster also contains some yellow giants.