FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Why Is M44 The Beehive?

[jack.jones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Only seen bees not wasps buzzing out of conical hives in cartoons. They are
built up in cylindrical layers that come to a point. Bringing it up to
Planetarium presenter will get you an off-the-cuff answer such as we have
been giving. Tom wants the history. Thor's Helmet was observed Sat night at
Sentinel and looked like a helmet alright but with one horn sticking up out
of it. I was told Thor's helmet was that way.

Jack

>  Most of those conical nests that hang on a stem like in the cartoons
> are the residence of wasps. Bees like a more enclosed space. I would
> go with the idea of the cluster looking like a swarm. Plenty of
> things in the sky that make us scratch our heads as to why they 
> were named what they were- examples from my opinion, Ursa Major
> (Great Bear) Virgo, Thors Helmet, Sagittarius, Rosette Neb, 
> Capricornus.
> Others that can make a 
> bit more sense to me- Orion, Leo, Scorpius, Blue Snowball Nebula,
> Eskimo Nebula, Owl Neb, Pinwheel Galaxy, Sombrero Galaxy.
>    
>   Might be a good question about M44 to put to a Planetarium 
> presenter.
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