Tuesday morning before the Sun rises the 26-day old waning crescent Moon will be about 6>sup>o from the open star cluster M-44, or more commonly known as the ‘Beehive Cluster’, or from the Latin for manger or cradle, Praesepe. M-44 is a group of approximately 1,000 stars at a distance of around 600 light years.
The open star cluster covers about 1-2o and is easily seen in dark skies with the unaided eyes as a fuzzy patch of light. Through binoculars or with a low power wide field telescope eyepiece M-44 resolves to individual stars.
Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.
Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.