M44M44

Open Cluster in Cancer
NGC 2632
Mag 3.7
Beehive Cluster or Praesepe

01/03/14
Huge wide open cluster, visible tonight with the naked eye
Larger than 25mm eyepiece, an amazing starfield with real depth
The brighter stars all appear to be of a similar magnitude

 18/02/15
You can really appreciate why it is called The Beehive Cluster
Lots of yellow stars within it which appear best in 25mm, and even then extend outside the FOV
A nice miniature 'Hercules Keystone' in the centre with the lower left being formed of two stars

15/01/16
Surprisingly ragged and open, it doesn't quite fit into the FOV in 25mm
Not a great magnitude range with bright stars sitting in a dark void
Sparse starfield all round it which tends to set it off better
A really neat view in binoculars, sitting in the centre (nearly!) of a cross of stars of which Asellus Australis, Delta Cancri, 47 Cnc, HIP 42911 at Mag 3.90 is the brightest, it's partner being Eta Cancri, 33 Cnc, HIP 41909 at Mag 5.30 and the other line formed by Asellus Borealis, Gamma Cancri, 43 Cnc, HIP 42806 at Mag 4.65 and Theta Cancri,31 Cnc, HIP 41822 at Mag 5.30

10/02/16
Praesepe, A huge Open Cluster, spreading further than the FOV in 25mm with a great range of magnitudes, but even more spectacularly a great range of colours from warm yellow to cold blue
There are a number of tiny triangle asterisms within the cluster where this colour difference is really noticeable, one being that formed by HIP 42497, Mag 6.80 and very yellow, and two blue stars of Mags 7.40 and 7.25
Even more of a contrast is the triangle at the centre of the cluster formed by HIP 42549, very yellow at Mag 6.40 while below it is a blue/white star of Mag 7.55 and a very faint white third star of Mag 9.15 to the right
This range of colours is repeated throughout the cluster
It's interesting to note that although the cluster appears big and bright in 25mm it is only just visible to the naked eye, and in a very sparse region of the sky for bright stars
In fact the constellation of Cancer is not very easy to locate at all without a viewing aid