Utah designated the Beehive cluster as the state astronomical symbol in 1996. The beehive is also the official emblem of Utah and appears on the state seal and state flag. A fact sheet about the bill stated:

"This symbol, composed of a hive of stars, transposes our beehive symbol to a new and grand level as we enter our second century as a group of people living in a place where we can still see, with our own eyes, the beautiful and dim features of the starry universe."

Visible to the naked eye as a small cloud in the constellation of Cancer, the Beehive is a very large and bright open cluster of stars. The beehive cluster was known as Praesepe in ancient times and is referred to as M44 (Messier object 44) by modern stargazers.

Source:

State Star & The Beehive Cluster: Utah.gov
Utah State Symbols: Official Utah website

Links:

State Stars & Astronomical Symbols