Todd's Amateur Astronomical Observations

M44 (Praesape, beehive open cluster)

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Here is the blog post announcing this observation

beehive.jpg

 


Name

Todd D. Vance

Bowie, MD

Seeing (1-10)

5


Site

Alpha Ridge: N39 º19'15''

W76 º54'46''

Date / Time

04/01/06

20:01EST

Transparency(1-5)

4


Object Name

M44

Praesepe/Beehive

Instrument

9x63 5.8 º FOV binoculars

Power

9X

Constellation

Cancer

Location: ___8h __40m _8.5s __19º __45' __27'' J2000 (Starry Night)


 Appears to be buzzing with bees, which surround a “honeycomb”--pentagon formed by a square and a (optical) double star “peak” (which is a triple star in a telescope). Saturn was in this view (and I think I just barely saw the rings). I chose the field of view containing Saturn and the two Asseli from Cancer so I could find it again and again as I plotted the stars.

Oh be a fine girl--kiss me!
 
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