Open clusters · Taurus
Pleiades
M45
Details
Magnitude
1.60
Angular size
110′
Messier
M45
What you can realistically expect
A tight naked-eye cluster of blue-white stars — the 'Seven Sisters'.
BeginnerWhat is it?
The Pleiades is a nearby open cluster of hot young blue stars about 440 light-years away. Most people see 6 or 7 of the stars unaided; the cluster contains several hundred stars in total.
What will I see?
Naked eye
A compact tight group of 6–7 bright stars in a small dipper-like pattern. Obvious under moderately dark skies.
Binoculars
One of the most beautiful sights in the sky — dozens of blue-white stars in a rich cluster. Binoculars are arguably the best way to view the Pleiades.
Small telescope
Very bright stars widely spaced. Faint blue nebulosity around the brightest stars may be visible under dark, transparent skies.
Astrophotography
PhotographyLong exposures reveal blue reflection nebulosity around the brightest stars.
Reference imagery from long-exposure photography usually shows far more colour and structure than the human eye can see through a telescope.
Observing tips
- Binoculars give a better view than most telescopes — the cluster is too wide for most eyepieces.
- Best observed when high overhead, when the sky is darkest.
Interesting facts
- About 100 million years old — very young by stellar standards.
- The blue nebulosity is unrelated dust the cluster is currently passing through.