If not for the fact that it lies on the Ecliptic, and is therefore part of the zodiac, Cancer would be a rather inconspicuous group of stars. It is home to the relatively nearby Beehive/Praesepe complex of star clusters.
Clearly noted by stargazers as an open cluster of stars, home of Praesepe, also known as the “Beehive Cluster” this is the constellation of Cancer. The cluster is 577 light years away and approximately 730 million years old. The cluster has at least 250 stars and possibly up to as much as 350.
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