[AZ-Observing] Re: Why Is M44 The Beehive?
- From: kellerjt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 11:39:44 -0700
Actually it looks very much like the typical manger scene from the =
Nativity.
The manger, the little groupings of the Holy Family, the 3 Wise men =
holding
their gifts, some shepherds, many Angels hovering over the roof, and =
the
rest of those 36 stars that Galileo counted with his Tasco rickety
mount--those are all animals, the asses Gene noted, some sheep a few =
cows.
-----Original Message-----
From: BillFerris@xxxxxxx [mailto:BillFerris@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 9:20 AM
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Why Is M44 The Beehive?
Gene Lucas wrote, in part:
> On the question of the origin of the name, "Beehive" for M44, I note =
the
> following entry by Admiral William H. Smyth in his so-called "Bedford
> Catalog", or "A Cycle of Celestial Objects", based on his =
observations
> during the 1830s, mainly with a 6 inch aperture equatorially mounted
> refractor. The book originally appeared in 1844 (and was reprinted =
by
> Willmann-Bell in 1986). Here are portions of Smyth's article on M44,
> no. CCCXXXI (object no. 331) in his catalog (pp. 200-1, Willmann-Bell
> edition):
> "A very wide double star in the well-known cluster called Praesepe, =
onon
> the Crab's body, enrolled by Messier on his celebrated List of 103, =
in
> 1769. ... The Praesepe, metaphorically rendered Bee-Hive,...[snip]
>
> So Smyth MAY be the source for the name, "Bee Hive". Most other =
authors
> translate "Praesepe" as "Manger"; and the two nearby bright stars, =
gamma
> and delta CAN (or 4 and 5 CAN), are called "The Asses". ...[snip]
Admiral Smyth does seem a legitimate candidate as coiner of, Beehive, =
as a
common name for the Praesepe (M44). Smyth's is the earliest usage =
found,
thus far. Descriptions by Messier, William and John Herschel
(http://www.seds.org/messier/Mdes/dm044.html ) do not include, Beehive, =
as
an alternate name for the cluster. The name may not have been in use =
prior
to Sir William's death in 1822. John Herschel may either have been =
unaware
of the name, or held it to be in marginal usage and lacking merit for
inclusion in his catalog. It would be instructive to know if and when =
John
Herschel ever referenced the name, Beehive, in his writings.
A search of the Oxford English Dictionary online
(http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00186064 ) turns up the following:
[L. pr=C3=A6s=C3=A6pe enclosure, stall, manger, hive, f. pr=C3=A6, PRE- =
+ s=C3=A6pre to fence.]
The name of a loose cluster of stars, appearing to the naked eye as a
nebula, in the constellation Cancer.
Smyth's, "The Praesepe, metaphorically rendered Bee-Hive," does not =
describe
the name as in common usage and uses the English translation to =
legitimize
the name as an alternate to the Latin. This phrasing appears to also =
support
the conclusion that Smyth coined the name, Beehive, at least in =
publication.
If you visit the above URL and click on the "quotations" link, you'll =
see
the following among the listed quotations:
1868 LOCKYER Elem. Astron. i. =C2=A771. 29 The Hyades, in the =
constellation
Taurus, and the Pr=C3=A6sepe or =E2=80=98Beehive=E2=80=99, in Cancer.
Lockyer is the earliest reference in OED online. I note the absence of =
any
explanation for the name, which may indicate that it was, at least, =
known to
the more widely-read astronomers of the day.
It seems to me John Herschel is the key. If there is no reference to =
the
Beehive prior to Smyth's 1844 writing, then Smyth may be the best =
candidate
as the originator of the name or as the author who sparked its common =
usage.
Regards,
Bill Ferris
Flagstaff
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