http://gallery.cuttinedgeobservatory.com/v/openclusters/m44/ The cluster's age and proper motion coincide with those of the Hyades open cluster, suggesting that both share a similar origin. Both clusters also contain red giants and white dwarfs, which represent later stages of stellar evolution, along with main sequence stars of spectral classes A, F, G, K, and M.
Currently there is no consensus on the cluster's distance, with recent sources suggesting 160 to 187 parsecs (520-610 light years). There is better agreement on its age, at about 600 million years. This is equivalent to the age of the Hyades (~625 million years). The bright central core of the cluster has a diameter of about 7 parsecs (22.8 light years).
The Beehive is most easily observed when Cancer is high in the sky; in northern latitudes this occurs during the evening from February to May. At 95 arcminutes across, the cluster fits well in the field of view of a pair of binoculars or a telescope of low power.]]> en-us Gallery 2 RSS Module, version 1.1.8 Sun, 17 May 2026 22:36:36 +0000 120 http://gallery.cuttinedgeobservatory.com/d/1240-4/m44.jpg http://gallery.cuttinedgeobservatory.com/v/openclusters/m44/ http://gallery.cuttinedgeobservatory.com/v/openclusters/m44/M44.jpg.html http://gallery.cuttinedgeobservatory.com/v/openclusters/m44/M44.jpg.html
Exposure
- RGB 30:30:30
- RGB 5min subs @ bin1x1
- 90 min total exposure

Equipment Used
- Tele Vue NP-127is
- SBIG STL-11000M
- Paramount ME
- Astrodon Gen 2 filters

Processing in CCDStack

Final processing Photoshop CS4]]> Chris Johnson photo Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:59:21 +0000