DON’T MISS
Mars crosses the Beehive
BEST TIME TO SEE: 1–9 May
The Beehive Cluster, M44, in Cancer sits just 1.5° north of the ecliptic, which means it’s in a prime position for conjunctions with Solar System objects such as the Moon, main planets and minor planets. This month, the planet Mars makes a pass through the northern reaches of the cluster, creating a wonderful opportunity to photograph it in the act or, if the weather cooperates, to capture its passage towards, across and past the cluster’s stars.
Mars is just coming off its last opposition, which occurred on 16 January. Mars reaches opposition once every 2.1 years and around this time the planet brightens noticeably and, through the eyepiece of a telescope, appears to grow in apparent size quite…