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Cancer
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Constellations Visible in Canadian Skies
Select a constellation from the list below to learn more:
Aquarius
Aquila
Aries
Auriga
Boötes
Cancer
Canis Major
Canis Minor
Capricornus
Cassiopeia
Cygnus
Gemini
Hercules
Hydra
Libra
Leo
Lyra
Orion
Perseus
Pisces
Sagittarius
Scorpius
Taurus
Ursa Minor and Ursa Major
Virgo
Legend
Cancer represents a crab that played a small role in the story of Hercules whose stepmother, the goddess Hera, was his mortal enemy. Hera sent the crab to try to distract Hercules who was battling the dread Hydra. The crab grabbed on to Hercules' toe with its claws, but Hercules just shook him off and crushed him underfoot. To thank the crab for its brave attempt, Hera placed it in the sky.
If you're lucky enough to live in a place with dark skies, try looking at the middle star of Cancer on a really dark night. You might start to notice a haze of light nearby. This is an open cluster of stars known as Praesepe, or the Beehive Cluster. It will look even better with binoculars or a small telescope.
