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The Pleiades (pronounced PLEE-uh-deez) stars have been
known since ancient times. They are mentioned in the Bible and in Homer's Odyssey. The Greeks called
them the "Seven Sisters", while the Japanese still call them "Subaru". The major stars bear the names of the sisters:
Alcyone, Asterope (a double star), Electra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta and Celaeno. These, of course, are visible to the
naked eye as a tiny version of a little dipper. The Pleiades are a welcome winter target for binoculars and small telescopes,
easy to find and probably the brightest open cluster in the sky. You'll need a wide field instrument; Maks and SCTs
are pretty useless (use your finderscope). My 10" scope couldn't squeeze all seven sisters in, even on 35mm film.
Long exposure photos under dark skies show blue reflection nebulae around these stars (especially Merope).
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Object Details:
Type:
Open Cluster
Constellation: Taurus
Distance:
380 light-years
Size: 12 light-years
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M45 Pleiades Open Cluster
Date: Jan. 8, 2003
Site: Harahan, LA
Camera: Olympus OM-1
Film: Kodak Supra 400
Exposure: 2 x 20 min.
Filters: Lumicon Deep-Sky LPR
Processing: MSB Astroart 2.0
Telescope:
10" Meade LX200
Reducer: Lumicon GEG f/5.8
Autoguider: MX7C/S.T.A.R. 2000
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M45 Pleiades Open Cluster
Date: Oct. 19, 2003
Site: Harahan, LA
Exposure: CCD, 5 x 15 sec.
Lens: 135 mm, f/2.8
Filters: K2 yellow
Processing: MSB Astroart 3.0
CCD: Starlight Express MX7C
Autoguider:
S.T.A.R. 2000
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