The Pleiades, also known as Messier 45 (M45) or the “Seven Sisters,” is a beautiful and prominent open star cluster located about 440 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. Easily visible to the naked eye as a small, shimmering cluster, it is known for its distinctive blue stars, which are young, hot, and incredibly bright, illuminating the surrounding interstellar dust with a faint blue reflection nebula. Estimated to be around 100 million years old, the cluster is still in an early stage of stellar evolution, making it a valuable subject for astronomers studying star formation. The seven brightest stars in the Pleiades—named after the daughters of the Greek Titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione—sparkle in a pattern reminiscent of a tiny dipper and have inspired myths and legends worldwide, symbolizing everything from seasonal change to navigation. Its location near the ecliptic makes the Pleiades visible across much of the globe, especially in late autumn and winter. Known as Subaru in Japan and featured in countless cultural stories, the Pleiades remains one of the most enchanting and studied clusters in the night sky, captivating observers with its celestial beauty and profound cultural resonance.
TS94 EDPH (with reducer)
10Micron GM1000 HPS
SIGMA fp L (colour)
ca. 5,5 hrs, ISO 400, F4.4, 414mm