The Pleides

The Pleiades, also known as the "Seven Sisters," is a star cluster located in the constellation Taurus, about 440 light-years away from Earth. In a clear, dark sky, the Pleiades shines brightly, appearing like a small "dipper" and often catching the eye even without a telescope. This cluster is full of young, hot blue stars born from the same cosmic gas cloud around 100 million years ago, making it relatively youthful in the stellar timeline.

For many stargazers, the Pleiades marks the start of the winter constellation season.

The name "Seven Sisters" stems from ancient myths across many cultures that tell of seven sibling stars. In Greek mythology, the stars represent the daughters of Atlas and Pleione, who were turned into stars by Zeus to escape the hunter Orion. Interestingly, only six stars are clearly visible to the naked eye, leading to legends about a "lost" sister.

Aesthetically, the Pleiades is a beautiful sight: the stars are wrapped in a faint blue nebulosity, which gives them a magical, otherworldly aura. This blue glow is the result of interstellar dust reflecting the starlight—a feature that only adds to its allure. It’s visible to the naked eye in most skies, but with binoculars or a telescope, the cluster transforms into a stunning starry gathering, and the nebulous glow becomes even more pronounced.