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Beehive Cluster (M44)
open cluster in Cancer
The Beehive Cluster, also known as Praesepe, is one of the nearest open clusters, visible to the naked eye as a hazy patch in Cancer. Galileo was among the first to resolve it into stars. It is large enough to need a wide frame.
Save your telescope or lens on the planner to lay your camera frame over this diagram.
// Key facts
- Catalog
- M44
- Type
- open cluster
- Constellation
- Cancer
- Size
- 1.6° across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.7
- Distance
- about 600 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Jan
- Typical prime months
- Nov to Apr
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Filter
- No filter (broadband)
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How to image Beehive Cluster
- At 95 arcminutes (over 1.5 degrees), use 150 to 300 mm on APS-C.
- Short exposures are enough; the stars are bright and the cluster is easy.
- It is high in the sky on spring evenings from northern sites.
Framing: what focal length?
The focal length at which M44 spans about 60% of the long side of the sensor, leaving room around it. Treat it as a starting point; the right framing is a matter of taste.
| Sensor | Focal length |
|---|---|
| 1-inch sensor (13.2 mm) | about 290 mm |
| APS-C (23.5 mm) | about 510 mm |
| Full frame (36 mm) | about 780 mm |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point M44 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 55° | Workable |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 65° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 75° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 85° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 35° | Workable |
Also worth imaging
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