Messier Objects - M45

The Pleiades star cluster has been in our skies for several months and I finally got around to logging it as an observation.  It can be seen as a fuzzy patch of light above and to the West of Taurus.  If you have a simple pair of binoculars the patch stands out as numerous stars.  The cluster contains relatively young hot blue stars held together by gravity.

The name derives from the Ancient Greek verb plein, which means 'to sail'.  The Pleiades were important in ancient seafaring navigation as it marked the beginning of the Spring season when it becomes visible after the vernal equinox.  The 9 brightest stars are named after the seven sisters of Greek mythology (Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, Calaeno and Alcyone) along with their parents Atlas and Pleione.

The Pleiades is mentioned throughout the Middle East thousands of years ago and is even mentioned in the Bible (Job 9:9, Job 38:31 and Amos 5:8).

If you are out driving on the road and you see someone driving a Subaru, take note, the logo is the Pleiades.  The Japanese call the cluster Subaru which means 'to unite'.

There is nebulosity associated with the cluster but typically only shows up under the best of conditions.  Your best chance of seeing the nebulosity is to take long exposure photography.  Unfortunately it is a reflection nebula and not an emission nebula so your fancy telescope filters won't help too much.  My observation record for M45 is shown below.  I am not looking forward to sketching more populous open clusters.

M45 Observation Record

Since the cluster is more than 100' in diameter only a wide view telescope and associated eyepiece can really capture it in its entirety.  For this observation I used my 15x70 binoculars with a 4.4° field of view.  However, since it is so wide, it is quite easy to capture using a zoom lens on a camera.  An image I took last night is shown below.

M45 - Pleiades Star Cluster

If you would like to see the cluster with your naked eye a star chart is provided below with the target circled.  If you can find Orion in the southern skies follow the belt to the big red star Aldebaran and continue a little further until you see a fuzzy patch of light.

Pleiades Star Chart