Cancer? Here's your constellation | Constellations | EarthSky

The famous Beehive cluster of the constellation Cancer - the most recognizable part of this constellation - can be found more easily than usual in 2012. Look for two bright objects on either side of it - the stars Castor and Pollux on one side - and the planet Mars and star Regulus on the other.

Chances are you?ve never seen Cancer the Crab, the faintest of the 13 constellations of the Zodiac. If you?ve looked for Cancer but not found it, then look again in 2012. In March, April and May 2012, when the red planet Mars shines at its brightest for this two-year period, Mars happens to shine fairly close to Cancer and its famous Beehive star cluster. In any year, Cancer the Crab and the Beehive cluster may be found between the two brightest stars of Gemini (Castor and Pollux) and Leo?s brightest star (Regulus). In 2012, though, finding Cancer is easier than usual, because Mars is in the picture, as shown in the image at right. So if you haven?t seen Cancer and its famous Beehive star cluster, try again in 2012.

How to see Mars in 2012

Find the Beehive star cluster between Mars and Gemini stars

Let?s suppose you have identified Mars, Regulus, Castor and Pollux ? and you look between them for Cancer and see, well, nothing much. Remember, Cancer is faint. Our advice is to look for it in a dark country sky.

Mars was very near the Beehive star cluster in mid-April 2010. It is the bright reddish object in the upper left of this beautiful image by Peter Wienerroither. (Used with permission)

What?s more, Cancer makes up for its lackluster stars by having within its boundaries one of the sky?s brighter star clusters, the aforementioned Beehive cluster, also known as M44. In a dark sky, the Beehive looks like a tiny faint cloud to the unaided eye. As seen through ordinary binoculars, this nebulous patch of haze instantly turns into a sparkling city of stars.

Cancer is always well placed for viewing in March, and it is also well placed for evening viewing in April and May. It starts to descend into the sunset glare in June.

In any year, Cancer the Crab and the Beehive cluster may be found between the two brightest stars of Gemini (Castor and Pollux) and Leo's brightest star (Regulus).

In early March every year, look for the constellation Cancer to be due south and highest up in the sky around 10 p.m. local time. (From the tropics, Cancer shines high overhead, and from temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, Cancer appears due north.) Because the stars return to the same place in the sky about four minutes earlier each day, or one-half hour earlier weekly, look for Cancer to be highest in the sky in mid-March at 9 p.m. local time (10 p.m. local daylight saving time). By late March or early April, Cancer reaches its high point for the night at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. local daylight saving time).

On a moonless night, Cancer is surprisingly easy to see in a dark country sky. You can locate the Crab?s place on the Zodiac by referring to certain zodiacal stars. The two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini, Castor and Pollux, shine on one side of Cancer, while Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, lies on the other side.

Significance of Cancer

At the center of the constellation Cancer: the Beehive star cluster. Use binoculars! Image credit: Wikipedia

Cancer?s stature as a constellation of the Zodiac has remained steadfast over the millennia. Over two thousand years ago, the sun shone in front of the constellation Cancer during the Northern Hemisphere?s summer solstice. Today, the sun resides in front of the constellation Taurus ? not Cancer ? when the summer solstice sun reaches its northernmost point for the year on or near June 20. Nonetheless, Cancer still seems to symbolize the height and glory of the summer sun.

To this day, we say the sun shines over the tropic of Cancer ? not the tropic of Taurus ? on the June solstice. That?s in spite of the fact that the sun in our time passes in front of the constellation Cancer from about July 20 until August 10. Nowadays, the sun doesn?t enter the constellation Cancer until about a month after the Northern Hemisphere?s summer solstice.

Sky chart of the constellation Cancer the Crab

Cancer in history, myth and science

According to Richard Hinckley Allen, in his book STAR NAMES Their Lore and Meaning, astrologers call Cancer the House of the Moon from the early belief that the moon was located here at creation. In astrology, the moon is said to rule Cancer. Astrology differs from astronomy in that astrologers assume positions of heavenly bodies have certain influences over human affairs. Astronomers generally regard the supposed connections as unfounded and view astrology as a pseudo-science.

Amazingly enough, however, modern-day astronomers believe the sun might have originated from Cancer?s fainter star cluster, Messier 67. So it looks as if Cancer is the home of a creation story in both astrology and astronomy.

In ancient Chaldean and Platonic philosophy, Cancer was called the Gate of Men. It was through this portal that souls descend from the heavens above and into the bodies of the newly born.

Around 2700 years ago, the sun passed in front of the Beehive cluster on the Northern Hemisphere?s summer solstice. Back then, this cluster stood at the apex of the Zodiac, so perhaps it was this heavenly nebulosity that marked the Gate of Men. At present, the sun has its annual conjunction with the Beehive cluster in late July or early August.

In olden times, before the advent of light pollution, the ancients referred to the Beehive as the Praesepe (?little cloud?). The Roman author Pliny reports that when the Praesepe is invisible in an otherwise clear sky, it?s a sure sign of impending storm. Yes, the Beehive cluster once served as a celestial weather station.

Although Cancer may be the faintest constellation of the Zodiac, its legacy remains intact. On a dark, moonless night, look for Cancer?s faint grouping of stars to spring out in between the more conspicuous constellations Gemini and Leo.

Gemini? Here?s your constellation

Regulus: Heart of the Lion

Source: http://earthsky.org/constellations/cancer-heres-your-constellation

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