CANCER
(Abbreviation: Cnc.)
Cancer is a obscure constellation, redeemed only by the presence of two famous star-clusters, præsepe and m.67. However, it lies in the Zodiac, and it has a legend attached to it. It represents a sea crab which Juno, queen of Olympus, sent to rescue of the multi-headed Hydra, which was doing battle with Hercules. Not surprisingly Hercules trod on the crab, but as a reward for its efforts Juno placed it in the sky! There are only two stars above magnitude four.
BRIGHTEST STARS
|
STAR |
MAG. |
ABS.
MAG. |
SPEC |
DIST.
PC. | ||||||
|
16 z |
08 |
12 |
12.6 |
+17 |
38 |
52 |
4.67 |
3.2,
4.1 |
F7,
G2 |
16
TEGMINE |
|
17 b |
08 |
16 |
30.9 |
+09 |
11 |
08 |
3.52 |
-0.3 |
K4 |
52 |
|
43 g |
08 |
43 |
17.1 |
+21 |
28 |
06 |
4.66 |
1.2 |
A1 |
48 ASELLUS
BOREALIS |
|
47 d |
08 |
44 |
41.0 |
+18 |
09 |
15 |
3.94 |
0.2 |
KO |
47 ASELLUS
AUSTRALIS |
|
48 i¹ |
08 |
46 |
41.8 |
+28 |
45 |
36 |
4.02 |
-2.1 |
G8 |
130 |
|
65 a |
08 |
58 |
29.2 |
+11 |
51 |
28 |
4.25 |
1.9 |
A3 |
23
ACUBENS |
DOUBLES
|
STAR |
MAGS. |
P.A. |
DIST.
“ | ||||||
|
16 z |
08 |
12 |
12.6 |
+17 |
38 |
52 |
5.1,
6.0 |
089 |
5.9 |
Each component is again double:
5.7, 6.0; binary 59.6y; separation 1”.
6.3, 7.8; binary, 17. 6y; separation always below 0”. 2.
i¹ has a distant companion, i², 6m.57 abs. Mag. 1.7, spec A3, dist 130 pc.
VARIABLES
|
STAR |
R.A. |
DEC |
RANGE |
PERIOD,
D. |
SPEC |
TYPE | ||
|
H |
M |
o |
‘ | |||||
|
R |
08 |
13.8 |
+11 |
53 |
6.2---11.8 |
362 |
M |
MIRA |
|
V |
08 |
18.9 |
+17 |
27 |
7.6---13.9 |
272 |
S |
MIRA |
|
X |
08 |
52.6 |
+17 |
25 |
5.0---7.3 |
170 |
N |
SEMI-REGULAR |
|
T |
08 |
53.8 |
+20 |
02 |
7.6---10.5 |
482 |
N |
SEMI-REGULAR |
|
W |
09 |
06.9 |
+25 |
27 |
7.4---14.4 |
393 |
M |
MIRA |
|
RS |
09 |
07.6 |
+31 |
10 |
5.3---6.4 |
120 |
M |
SEMI-REGULAR |
CLUSTERS AND NEBULÆ
|
OBJECT |
R.A. |
DEC |
TYPE |
NOTES | ||
|
H |
M |
o |
‘ | |||
|
NGC. 2632
M.44 |
08 |
37.4 |
+20 |
00 |
OPEN
CLUSTER |
PRÆSEPE.
NAKE-EYE |
|
NGC.
2672 |
08 |
46.6 |
+19 |
16 |
ELLIPTICAL
GALAXY |
MAG.
12.2 |
|
NGC. 2682
M.67 |
08 |
47.8 |
+12 |
00 |
OPEN
CLUSTER |
MAG.
6.1 |
|
NGC.
2775 |
09 |
07.7 |
+07 |
15 |
SPIRAL GALAXY
(Sa) |
MAG.
10.7 |
