Open Cluster in Cancer
Messier 44 is known both as the Beehive Cluster and as Praesepe (the manger). At a distance of just over 600 light years, it is one of the closest star clusters. It is visible to the naked eye as a misty patch, and under ideal viewing conditions some of its individual stars can be seen. The best view of this cluster is probably with binoculars, which will show many of the cluster's 200 stars. Observing the Beehive through a large telescope is not especially satisfying, because only a portion of the cluster can be seen at one time, and the stars appear widely scattered. The cluster occupies an area of sky more than twice the diameter of the full Moon.
| Magnitude | 3.1 |
| Apparent Size | 70' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 610 |
| Right Ascension | 08:40.1 |
| Declination | +19 59 |
| Field of View | 124' x 93' |
Image details: Exposure times of 20 minutes each of luminance, red, green, and blue, taken with a SBIG STF 8300M imager and a Tokina 500-mm lens.
February 2021