Beehive Cluster

open star cluster · M44 · Praesepe · in Cancer

599 light-years from Earth

Over a thousand stars born together some 600 to 700 million years ago. Known since ancient times as a little cloud, it was seen as stars by Galileo in 1610. Planets have been found round several of its stars.

• 600 light-years (Gaia) · its stars spread over about 40 light-years
• about 650 million years old · 600 of its stars as Gaia measured them

kind

nebula · star cluster

catalogue

M44 · NGC 2632

size

40 light-years across