1.6 KiB
| name | created_by | created_date | updated_by | updated_date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | skybber | 2021-06-02 19:22:26.823362 | skybber | 2022-02-11 18:34:48.842625 |
A faint constellation in the northern sky between Gemini and Leo. The inverted "Y" lies in the centre of an equilateral triangle formed by the stars Pollux, Regulus and Procyon. It is formed by the stars Altarf, Acubens, Asellus Australus, ι and χ Cancri. 2000 years ago, the Sun passed through Cancer at the time of the summer solstice, so it was the northernmost constellation of the zodiac. It currently passes through it from July 20 to August 9. However, the sign of Cancer still marks the summer solstice and the Tropic of Cancer is called the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere. At present, the Sun rises highest in the northern hemisphere at the boundary of the constellations Gemini and Taurus. Cancer is the least prominent constellation of the zodiac, with only one of its stars exceeding 4th magnitude. A moonless night is therefore a prerequisite for seeing the constellation at its best in the sky. Cancer boasts two open star clusters, some of the most beautiful in the entire sky. The brighter one is M44, located almost in the centre of the constellation. In ancient times, in 270 BC, the Greek poet Aratus called it "Praesepe". Several centuries have passed since then, when Galileo Galilei first resolved them into individual stars with a telescope in 1610. Nowadays, a simple binocular will do the trick. There are also several binary stars in the constellation, and because it is further away from the Milky Way, we can find a greater number of fainter galaxies.
