Tonight after sunset look to the West and find brilliant Venus. Just above the planet is a small cluster of stars called the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. Located in Taurus the Bull this little cluster is easy to see.
The star cluster is mentioned in the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Bible. It is the logo for the Japanese automaker Subaru as well. It is prominent in other religions and cultures throughout antiquity.
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| The Pleiades look like a little dipper in the upper right. Credit: Greg Redfern |
The Pleiades is a very young star cluster that contains hundreds of stars. They were born in a huge nebula of gas and dust millions of years ago. Long exposure photographs show some of the stars still enveloped int heir cosmic womb.
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| The Young, Hot, and Bright Blue Stars In The Heart Of The Pleiades Are Still Enveloped In Their Dusty Cosmic Womb Credit: Greg Redfern |
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| Telescope Close Up of the Pleiades' Dusty Cosmic Womb Credit: Greg Redfern |
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| April 3, 2020 in the West After Sunset Venus and the Pleiades Credit: Sky Safari Pro |
Although this will be visible to the unaided eye a pair of binoculars will really enhance the view as will any telescope.
Be sure to enjoy this sky sight as you watch Venus move against the background stars due to its planetary motion as well as that of our planet.
Try taking a pic with any camera as these two celestial objects are very bright and will show up in any camera including smartphones. Take a pic, see the results and adjust as necessary.
By the way, the light from Venus took about 5 1/2 minutes to reach your eyes while the light from the Pleiades left 430 years ago in the year 1590 AD.
Get outside and ENJOY this celestial treat!
Sky Guy in VA
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