ic 2488 is an intermediate-richness, intermediate-brightness, detached cluster with trumpler class ii2m. there are 372 probable member stars within the angular radius of the cluster and 115 within the central part of the cluster. the tidal radius of the cluster is 9.0 - 11.6 parsecs (29 - 38 light years) and represents the average outer limit of ic 2488, beyond which a star is unlikely to remain gravitationally bound to the cluster core. the core of the cluster is estimated to be 9.3 light years across. three blue stragglers have been detected in the cluster and at least three red giants are indisputable members of the cluster, one of which being a spectroscopic binary star.