SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
massimo.difusco
Location of Photo:
Ferrara (Italy)
Date/Time of photo:
04/03/2025 00:00
Equipment:
Konus 200/1000 @950mm, Player One Poseidon-C camera, Sky-Watcher Eq6r Pro Mount, Optolong L-Quad Enhance filter
Description:
Messier 44 (also known as M44, NGC 2632, the Beehive Cluster or Praesepe) is a bright large open cluster, with an apparent magnitude of 3.7, that lies at a distance of 577 light years from Earth in the constellation Cancer. Praesepe is one of the brightest Messier objects and has been known since ancient times. The only objects on Messier’s list that are brighter than M44 are the Pleiades cluster (M45) and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). The Pleiades are also the only deep sky object in Messier’s catalogue that is nearer to us than the Beehive Cluster. The brightest stars in M44 have a visual magnitude of 6 to 6.5 and appear blue-white in colour.
