Don't Miss the Chance to See these Open Clusters

[Rocket_the_Raccoon]

The two brightest objects currently in the evening sky (I live in Canada), Venus and Jupiter, make aiming and locating M45 and M44 easier than ever!

M45 - currently very close to the path of the setting Venus. Though M45 is an easy object to locate without the aid of the planet, for a heavily light-polluted urban evening sky where one can barely see Orion and Aldebaran, Venus is surely a great help. M45 is best enjoyed with the lowest magnification, one can only barely fit the whole cluster in a 1.25 degree field.

(More info. https://www.britastro.org/event_render/5953)

M44 - located in the relatively dimmer constellation Cancer. Finding it in a light-polluted urban sky can be a challenge especially you have a red-dot finder or a relatively useless 5x24mm. Fortunately, Jupiter is now only 5 degree away from M44, one can aim at Jupiter and then carefully hop to the cluster with the lowest possible magnification. Knowing the actual field of view of the particular scope-eyepiece combo. would definitely help.

(More info. http://www.astronomy.com/observing/sky-this-week/2015/04/april-312-2015)

For your info., I just observed them with small basic equipment....

70mm f5.7 refractor

red-dot finder

Plossl 25mm, 10mm

EQ-1 Mount

[ghostdance]

I greatly enjoy the buzz of the Beehive... But must hunt up M45, sounds good. Thanks!

Edit\ DOH! Spot the senior moment mistake...

M45: Pleiades. Tsk.....Must be getting old.

Pleiades are indeed a gorgeous sight. Personally, that little chain of stars leading away from Alcyone makes me smile every time....

[mikeyrea]

Great shout Rocket - Love the Beehive & the Pleiades!

[Geordie mc]

The beehive is one of my favourite objects to observe. Great in binoculars or a small scope. m45 is just fabulous in binoculars.2 great sights indeed.