- Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia)
The Beehive Cluster (also known as Praesepe (Latin for “manger”, “cot” or “crib”), M44, NGC 2632, or Cr 189), is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. One of the nearest open clusters to Earth, it contains a larger population of stars than other nearby bright open clusters holding around 1,000 stars. Under dark skies, the Beehive Cluster looks like a small nebulous object to the naked eye, and has been known since ancient times. 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.
- Alfirk (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
ALFIRK (Beta Cephei). In mythology, Cepheus (the King) pales beside Cassiopeia (the Queen), who is central to the story of Andromeda and Perseus. And so does his constellation, which is the faintest of those of the myth. Yet dim Cepheus is not without glory.
