How do you get Praesepe?
Location. Praesepe lies near the centre of Cancer constellation, roughly halfway between the bright stars Regulus in Leo and Pollux in Gemini.
Why is M44 called the Beehive Cluster?
The showpiece of the constellation Cancer is M44, the “Praesepe” (“PRAY-see-pay”) star cluster. It’s also called the “Beehive” cluster because it looks like a hive of bees. Unlike the Pleiades, M45, this cluster can’t be resolved into individual stars with the unaided eye.
What is M44 space?
The Beehive Cluster (also known as Praesepe (Latin for “manger”), M44, NGC 2632, or Cr 189), is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. Classical astronomer Ptolemy described it as a “nebulous mass in the breast of Cancer”. It was among the first objects that Galileo studied with his telescope.
What is the story behind the Cancer constellation?
The constellation of Cancer represents the giant crab that attacked Hercules during the second of the 12 labors he performed as penance for killing his family. It was sent by the jealous goddess Hera to thwart Hercules as he battled the water serpent Hydra, but he killed it with his club.
How far is Praesepe?
577.3 light years
Beehive Cluster/Distance to Earth
Praesepe is a bright, large cluster with an apparent magnitude of 3.7. It lies at a distance of 577 light years from Earth. It has the designation NGC 2632 in the New General Catalogue. M44 is one of the nearest open clusters to Earth and can easily be seen without binoculars.
How do you pronounce Praesepe?
- (Classical) IPA: /prae̯ˈseː.pe/, [präe̯ˈs̠eːpɛ]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA: /preˈse.pe/, [prɛˈs̬ɛːpɛ]
How far is praesepe?
What type of cluster is M67?
Messier 67
Messier 67 (also known as M67 or NGC 2682) is an open cluster in the southern, equatorial half of Cancer. It was discovered by Johann Gottfried Koehler in 1779.
Where is the Beehive Cluster?
RA 8h 40m 24s | Dec +19° 59′ 0″
Beehive Cluster/Coordinates
Why are cancers called cancers?
Origin of the word cancer The description was names after the crab because the finger-like spreading projections from a cancer called to mind the shape of a crab. Later Roman physician, Celsus (28-50 BC) translated the Greek term into cancer, the Latin word for crab.
Where is Cancer in the sky right now?
northern hemisphere
Finding Cancer: It lies in the second quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ2) and can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -60°. It occupies an area of 506 square degrees, making it the 31st largest constellation in the night sky. There is only one meteor shower associated with the constellation of Cancer.
How old is Pleiades star cluster?
around 100 million years ago
The cluster contains hundreds of stars, of which only a handful are commonly visible to the unaided eye. The stars in the Pleiades are thought to have formed together around 100 million years ago, making them 1/50th the age of our sun, and they lie some 130 parsecs (425 light years) away.