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> Open star cluster M44 in Cancer

Open star cluster M44 in Cancer

author: R.Gendler/Novapix

reference: a-aou26-32001

Image Size 300 DPI: 30 * 22 cm

M44, the Beehive Cluster, also known as Praesepe (Latin for manger), is an easy naked eye object more than twice the size across of the full moon, and has thus been noted since prehistoric times. It was one of the first objects on which Galileo trained his newly acquired telescope. M44 is one of the nearest open clusters, close to 600 light-years away.

Keywords for this photo:

2005 - ASTRONOMY - M44 - NGC 2632 - OPEN CLUSTER - STAR - STAR CLUSTER - TWINKLING -