Cancer (The Crab)

Faintest constellation of the zodiac, between Gemini and Leo.

Core Principles & Analysis

• The Beehive Cluster (M44) at its centre is visible to the naked eye as a misty patch and was known to antiquity.
• It is the dimmest of the twelve zodiacal constellations.
• The nearby star 55 Cancri hosts a system of five known planets.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: Tarf (β Cnc)
• HEMISPHERE: Both (zodiacal)
• BEST VIEWED: March