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Credit & Copyright: Tunà Tezel
Explanation:
If you can find planet Jupiter in tonight's sky, then
you can also find M44,
popularly known as the Beehive
star cluster.
In fact, with a pair of binoculars most casual skygazers should
find it easy to zero in on this
celestial scene.
It should be easy because after sunset Jupiter presently
rules the night
as the brightest "star" overhead.
Now near the
stationary part of its wandering path through
the heavens, Jupiter will obligingly linger for a while at a spot
only a degree or so southeast of M44 in the relatively faint
constellation Cancer.
Seen here in a photograph from March 28, Jupiter (lower left)
is strongly overexposed with the stars of M44 swarming above
and to the right.
The picture approximately corresponds to
the view when looking
through a typical pair of binoculars.
Jupiter is
about 30 light-minutes from our fair planet
while M44, one of the closest star clusters, is around
600 light-years away.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Jupiter - M 44 - beehive cluster - open cluster - star cluster
Publications with words: Jupiter - M 44 - beehive cluster - open cluster - star cluster
See also:
- APOD: 2025 March 9 Á Cyclones at Jupiters North Pole
- Open Star Clusters M35 and NGC 2158
- APOD: 2025 February 25 Á M41: The Little Beehive Star Cluster
- APOD: 2025 February 16 Á Perijove 11: Passing Jupiter
- APOD: 2025 February 11 Á The Spider and the Fly
- Stereo Jupiter near Opposition
- APOD: 2024 November 3 Á Jupiter Abyss