The Pleiades Star Cluster in Taurus | Australian Astronomical Observatory
The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years away in the direction of the northern constellation of Taurus. A handful of the brightest stars cluster together in space and have been recognized as a group since ancient times. However, even the brightest of the Pleiades stars (Alcyone, apparent visual mag +2.9) is relatively faint and would be inconspicuous (and nameless) if it were not a member of the cluster The faintest named star is Asterope, (V = +5.8), close to the threshold of naked eye visibility. All the visible stars of the Pleiades are in reality much more luminous than the Sun.
The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust this cluster has drifted into. It appears blue because these tiny motes of interstellar dust scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light, and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space. Care has been taken to ensure that the colors visible here are realistic.
In western literature and legend, the stars bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas and Pleone. They were also half-sisters to the goddesses of the nearby Hyades stars. The delicate beauty of the stars identified them as a group of women in many cultures, from Australian Aborigine to Native American. To the Japanese they are 'Subaru', a conglomerate or collection (i.e. cluster), while Chinese legends refer to a swarm of bees. Maori and Pacific Islands people often called the Pleiades 'Matariki', the star cluster that heralds the start of the Maori New Year.
Photograph made from plates taken in October 1983 (G) and December (B, R). Image width is about 100 arc min.
Copyright: Australian Astronomical Observatory
Date: Aug. 17, 1984
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