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VA, US
39°/-77.5°
GMT -4
Waxing19:35 - 06:18
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M44: Rise, Set, Nighttime Path

M44

M44 Daily Motion


M44 will be visible until June, 1, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.

M44 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M44 transit08:3171°
M44 Set15:38
Astrosession begin19:35-30°
M44 Rise01:21
Astrosession end06:1856°
Civil sunrise06:4961°
Sunrise07:1765°

M44 Sky Tracker Map

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M44 changing position in the night sky.

M44 - Beehive Cluster

The Beehive Cluster (M44), also known as Praesepe, is an open cluster located in the constellation Cancer. It was observed by Ptolemy in ancient times and later cataloged by Charles Messier in 1769. M44 is one of the nearest open clusters to Earth and contains a rich population of stars.

M44 spans about 23 light-years across and contains over 1,000 stars. The cluster is approximately 610 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 3.7, making it visible to the naked eye under dark skies.

M44 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M44 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M44 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M44 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M44 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

The photos are taken from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under NASA contract, using data from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for M44

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Object nameM44
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M44 coordinates8.67283, 19.67206
Center coordinates8.67283, 19.67206

M44 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M44

Time08:49
Latitude39.0469
Longitude-77.4903
M44 elevation70°
M44 Azimuth167°
Here you can see the current position of the M44 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M44's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M44

Time
DateFri, 11 October 2024
Twighlight start20:02
Twighlight end05:41
Twighlight duration10h 39m
Rise01:21
Set15:34
Elevation at transit71°
Transit time08:27
Equatorial coordinateRA: 08h 40m 22s, Dec: 19° 40' 19"
Magnitude3
ConstellationCancer
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M44, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M44 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.