M44

Messier 44, also designated M44 and NGC 2632, is an open star cluster in the zodiacal constellation Cancer. It is widely known as the Beehive Cluster or Praesepe, a name that derives from its appearance as a crowded, beehive-like grouping of stars. M44 is one of the nearest open clusters to Earth and one of the most prominent in the night sky under suitable conditions.

Distance and age estimates place M44 at about 550–600 light-years from the Sun, or roughly 170–180 parsecs. The cluster is relatively old for an open cluster, with an age of around 600–800 million years. It contains several hundred stellar members, ranging from bright sun-like stars to numerous fainter dwarfs, contributing to a rich and dense appearance when viewed with binoculars or small telescopes. The integrated apparent magnitude of the cluster is about 3.7, making it visible to the naked eye from dark locations.

Observation and location: M44 lies in the constellation Cancer and is best observed from the Northern Hemisphere during late winter to spring evenings. Its core region is relatively compact, and under good conditions many of its brightest members can be resolved with modest optical equipment, particularly in areas with minimal light pollution.

History: The cluster has been known since antiquity and was described in various ancient catalogs as Praesepe. It was independently cataloged by Hodierna in the 17th century and later included by Charles Messier in 1779 as Messier 44. The names Beehive Cluster and Praesepe reflect its dense, honeycomb-like core.