The Beehive Cluster
Close up of the Praesepe (Messier 44) open star cluster. Credit: Wikisky
Finder Chart for M44 (credit:- freestarcharts)
A swarm of 1,000 stars;
The cluster is also known as M44, its designation in the famous Messier Catalogue, or Praesepe. It has the designation NGC 2632 in the New General Catalogue. The classical astronomer Ptolemy called it “the nebulous mass in the heart of Cancer,” and it was among the first objects that Galileo studied with his telescope.In China it was known by the unsavory title Tseih She Ke, Exhalation of Piled-up Corpses; and within 1° of it Mercury was observed from that country, on the 9th of June, A.D. 118, one of the early records of that planet.
Legend:
Praesaepe represents the manger of the asses, the Aselli; gamma (γ Asellus borealis) and delta (δ Asellus Australis); ridden by Bacchus and Vulcan. A coarse extended cluster situated on the head of the Crab. Popularly termed the Beehive, Manger or Crib, and known by the Chinese under the name Tseih She Ke, Exhalation of Piled-up Corpses. With the Aselli it was the “cloudy spot of Cancer” mentioned by Ptolemy as causing blindness
Robson, Fixed star
The two Asses outflank the “Manger” (Praesaepe). This might be the origin, as seen in nativity pictures of the birth of Christ, of the positioning of a donkey always behind the manger.
Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin
According to Vehlow, the Chinese gave this group of stars (the manger, Praesaepe along with North and South Asellus) in Cancer the name “the spirit of the ancestors” and were of the opinion that if conjunct the Moon they would have peculiar experiences with the realms of the dead.
*Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin
The baby born in a manger might relate to the idea of Cancer being the ‘Gate of Men’, according to Chaldaean and Platonist philosophy, through which souls descended from heaven into human bodies, or into creation. Its opposite sign Capricornus represents the ‘Gate of the Gods’ where souls of the departed ascended back to heaven.
It is of the nature of Mars and the Moon, and causes disease, disgrace, adventure, insolence, wantonness, brutality, blindness, industry, order and fecundity; and makes its natives fortunate though liable to loss through others, and the founders of large businesses. Robson, Fixer star
According to Robson above Praesaepe, the “Beehive Cluster”, makes “founders of large businesses”, that might reflect the buzzing, ‘busy’ bees of a beehive going about their business.
One can observe a craving for and abuse of stimulants, luxury foodstuffs, narcotic, drugs and heavy smoking. Susceptibility to infectious diseases. Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, Elsbeth Ebertin
If Rising: Blindness especially of the left eye, ophthalmia, injuries to the face, sickness, violent fevers, wounds in face and arms, stabs (can be operations nowadays), violent lust, imprisonment, exile. If at the same time the Sun opposes Mars or the Ascendant, violent death.
Robson, Fixer star
With Sun: Evil disposition (used to be a term in astrology for homosexuality), murderer or murdered, blows, stabs (operations nowadays for blows, stabs, wounds), serious accidents, shooting, shipwreck, execution, banishment, imprisonment, sharp diseases, fevers, hemorrhage, lawsuits, danger of death from fire, iron or stones, injuries to the face, wounds, bad eyes, and if in an angle blindness.
Robson, Fixer star
With Moon: Wounds, stabs (operations), imprisonment, injuries to the face, sickness, blindness or eye injuries especially if Saturn or Mars be with Regulus.
Robson, Fixer star
