Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cancer (Cnc)  ·  Contains:  Beehive  ·  M 44  ·  NGC 2632  ·  Praesepe Cluster
Messier 44, Giuseppe Donatiello
Messier 44
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Messier 44

Messier 44, Giuseppe Donatiello
Messier 44
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Messier 44

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Description

Messier 44 - Praesepe Cluster

Credit: Giuseppe J. Donatiello

(J2000) RA: 08h 40.4m Dec: 19° 59′

M44 (NGC 2632, Cr 189), is an open cluster in Cancer. It is one of the nearest open clusters to us. Under dark skies the Praesepe Cluster looks like a nebulous object to the naked eye, so it has been known since ancient times. Ptolemy (II Sec.) described it as "the nebulous mass in the breast of Cancer," and it was onserved by Galileo with his telescope.

Please note the beautiful galaxies cluster visible behind M44 in full resolution.

Composite image:

200 f/5 Newtonian telescope (during an instrumental test session)

127ED f/9 refractor

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Messier 44, Giuseppe Donatiello