Venus Meets the Beehive Cluster in Cancer

In the early dawn of 31/08/2025 around 5 a.m. local time in the UAE 🇦🇪, planet Venus shone brilliantly within the constellation Cancer, appearing close to the famous open star cluster Messier 44 (M44), the Beehive Cluster.

The scene also included the stars Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis, which frame the Beehive Cluster within Cancer. This beautiful alignment highlighted the contrast between Venus — the third brightest natural object in our sky — and the distant Beehive Cluster, located about 610 light-years away.

Such encounters remind us of the dynamic and ever-changing sky, where bright planets occasionally pass by some of the most remarkable deep-sky treasures.

Samyang 14mm
iOptron HAE43
ZWO ASI294mc pro

Pixinsight
Photoshop