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M45, the Pleiades

Pleiades chart

An open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, the Pleiades is easy to see with the naked eye. Those with good eyesight can see six stars but binoculars reveal many more. Long-exposure photographs show nebulosity surrounding the stars in the cluster. The Pleaides is a cluster of very young stars and this nebulosity is the remnants of the cloud out of which the stars formed.

In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, and were half-sisters of the Hyades. The brightest stars in the cluster are named for members of this family.

eta Tau: Alcyone is the brightest member of this cluster.
16 Tau: Celaeno
17 Tau: Electra
19 Tau: Taygeta
20 Tau: Maia
21 Tau: Sterope I is known as Asterope when combined with Sterope II.
22 Tau: Sterope II is known as Asterope when combined with Sterope I.
21-22 Tau: Asterope is the combined name for Sterope I and Sterope II.
23 Tau: Merope
27 Tau: Atlas
28 Tau: Pleione

Sky Charts

Sidereal Time	Northern Hemisphere	Southern Hemisphere
0100 hours	45° N	30° S
0300 hours	45° N	30° S
0500 hours	45° N	30° S
0700 hours	45° N	30° S
0900 hours	45° N	30° S
1100 hours	45° N
1300 hours
1500 hours
1700 hours
1900 hours
2100 hours	45° N
2300 hours	45° N	30° S

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