Pleiades Star Cluster (Messier 45) in Taurus the Bull Constellation
Learn how to spot the Pleiades Star Cluster, also known as Messier 45. This is a very famous star cluster that is easy to find in the night sky. It is located inside Taurus the Bull constellation and has been viewed by humans for thousands of years. Learn the details of the brightest stars of this cluster: Alcyone, Atlas, Electra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta, Pleione, Celaena, and Sterope.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro to the Pleiades
3:36 - Star map of Taurus
4:10 - Golden Gate of the Ecliptic Asterism
5:23 - Practice Finding the Pleiades
6:51 - Bright Stars of the Pleiades (Seven sisters plus two parents)
13:16 - Using Averted Vision Stargazing Technique
14:38 - Outro
15:57 - Visit www.learnthesky.com/
Links and Resources mentioned in this video
▶ Taurus Constellation: bit.ly/LearntheSky-TaurusConst...
▶ Orion Constellation: bit.ly/LearntheSky-OrionConste...
▶ Types of Star Clusters: bit.ly/LearntheSky-TypesofStar...
Playlists
▶ Stargazing Basics: bit.ly/LearntheSky-StargazingB...
▶ Zodiacal Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-ZodiacalCon...
▶ Circumpolar Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-Circumpolar
▶ Winter Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-WinterConst...
▶ Spring Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-SpringConst...
▶ Summer Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-SummerConst...
▶ Autumn Constellations: bit.ly/LearntheSky-AutumnConst...
▶ Stars: bit.ly/LearntheSky-Stars
▶ Planets: bit.ly/LearntheSky-Planets
▶ Celestial Objects: bit.ly/LearntheSky-CelestialOb...
▶ Versus Videos: bit.ly/LearntheSky-VersusVideos
▶ Celestial Events: bit.ly/LearntheSky-CelestialEv...
▶ Citizen Science: bit.ly/LearntheSky-CitizenScience
Credits:
▶ Taurus Map: By IAU [CC BY 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)], via Wikimedia Commons
▶ Taurus Constellation Pattern: Akira Fujii - The Constellations www.davidmalin.com/fujii/gener...
▶ Pleiades and Hyades Star Cluster: By Giuseppe Donatiello - Iades and Pleiades, CC0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Taurus Celestial Objects Map: By Roberto Mura - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Crab Nebula: By Josef Büchsenmeister - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Natives Celebrating the Rise of Pleiades: By Unknown - Hathi Trust Digital Library, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Taurus and Auriga at Sunset by Lighthouse: By Maxime Raynal from France - pléiade-1, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Hyades Star Cluster - Book of Fixed Stars: By By Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi - www.flickr.com/photos/47254367..., CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Lascaux Entrance: By User: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Taurus Constellation: By Eclipse, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶ Hyades Star Cluster Close-up: BBy NASA, ESA, and STScI - www.spacetelescope.org/images..., CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶Bright Stars in the Hyades Cluster: By Thuvan Dihn - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶Nebra Sky Disk: By Dbachmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶Pleiades, Hyades, Moon, Jupiter, Venus: By Der Messer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index... commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶Pleiades with lighthouse: By JBy maxime raynal from France - pléiade-1, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
▶Pleiades Nebulosity: By Giuseppe Donatiello - M45 [Image Of Team], CC0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
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#learnthesky #stargazing #constellations #stars #keeplookingup
In the canvas of the night, where stars align, Learn the Sky unveils a cosmic sign. Pleiades, a cluster, in Taurus' embrace, A celestial dance, in the vast cosmic space. Messier 45, a starry array, Guided by Learn the Sky's cosmic display. Taurus the Bull, a constellation grand, Where Pleiades' magic, humans understand. Alcyone, a beacon, in the stellar race, Atlas, the bearer, in cosmic grace. Electra's glow, a celestial song, Merope's radiance, where dreams belong. Taygeta, a shimmer in the cosmic sea, Pleione dances, in celestial glee. Celaeno whispers in the cosmic breeze, Sterope's embrace, a stellar tease. For thousands of years, their light has shone, Learn the Sky's wisdom, a guide well-known. In Taurus' horns, where legends reside, Pleiades' cluster, in cosmic pride. Learn the details, each star's tale, In the cosmic symphony, where wonders unveil. Pleiades, a jewel, in Taurus' horn, Learn the Sky's teachings, in the cosmic morn.
This is so lovely! Thank you for sharing! 💙🌌🌠
I ve been obsessed with cluster most of my life I ve always been drawn to it
Me too. It’s such a cool star cluster and instantly recognizable in the sky.
My favorite star cluster :)
It is my favorite as well!
Also my favorite ! 🥰
It's my dzv bc it's the special cluster for me It tells people who live in nz (New zealand) a signal for winter
@@learnthesky I love u Jeni😋😋😋😘😘😘😘
Yesss 💙✨
I always have loved the familiar and comforting constellations of Orion, Taurus, and Sirius..
Long time amateur astronomer who can appreciate your specific knowledge of this cluster. So many thanks.
You explained the Pleiades so well. I love stargazing and finding the planets during the various seasons.
This is my favorite object to look at in the night sky with the naked eye. Looking straight into the cluster with my eyes yields little to no results. I find most satisfaction when observing through my peripheral vision. In my eyes it seems to show the true scope and massiveness of the star cluster, viewing adjacent to the cluster yields true beauty in my eyes. It’s easy to see how our ancestors and their ancestors were fascinated by this cluster. Even in our now light polluted skies. Truly magnificent beauty to behold.
I'm so happy to know that I'm not the only who's noticed this cluster, for the last 10 years I've been in love with this cluster and yesterday I finally downloaded a star locater app to know its name.
i’ve started stargazing ever since i saw the meteor shower perseids. it really helpes me mentally, it distracts me and makes me very happy each time i spot a new constellation or any night sky object. your videos are so helpful and are easy to follow! also relaxing!!! thank you alot !
I love going between this cluster and the 'Bulls eye' one. I get excited when I first spot it arising each winter🌌✨
Same here!
I almost got there.
Hi Janine, I live in Cape Town , South Africa. The southern skies are just amazing. Thank you for your easy to understand explanations. I am absolutely blown away by our universe. Mind blowing stuff. Thank you.
I'm so happy. I'm a Taurus. I always felt a different kind of special. And, here we have it. Yay!🤗
Yes, you definitely are “special” 😂😂
@@jeffw8218this was a while ago. Jeff buddy. We all are special. We are all God's children. He loves all unconditionally. Right!!? Right 👍 Don't deny that. We're just babies. And, the father will not hurt you. Know he is the only one, trust only in him, put nothing or anything before him. That's what we've been taught.. Embrace what your messages are that you're getting. If you need anything. ASK! SAY IT OUT LOUD. SHORT AND SWEET. DO a 10-4 over and out. Which is Amen. Do not question it. Trust only in God. I am no more special than any of my brothers or sisters. Then you you are to them. I thank you for your response. There's a reason for everything. More than people know these days. But, that's ok. 3 basic attributes to follow. Non judgement, forgiveness from the bottom of your heart. Unconditional love. That's all he's asking for. After he sent his son down here to tell us those 3 simple things. Peace, bother. From Gary the homeless guitar player from Allentown Pa. Blue Ray Starseed 💙👍🤗💙🙏👆☺️🎸
I see this every night clursters look cool🙃
Me too!
I can't see anything in the sky because I live in a city ☹
Thank you!!! This is what I look for first in the night sky every night. You helped me locating M45 even easier. Your video made me cry because of how much I look for this cluster everyday. My favorite is seeing it in the morning at 5-6 am when I get to work.
You could be a Pleiadian being if you feel emotional about this star system. I am Pleiadian also and the Pleiades was once my home
The Pleiades - a classic!
I love watching this with the naked eye you see 6 7 stars ; BUT then you look with a pair of binoculars it's so astonishing 1,000's of stars .
After a years of searching about this stars! It's been 5 years or more I am searching for the name of this star. I called it "Upside down chair" because sometimes it looks like an upside down chair but sometimes it looks like a number 4 or a letter Y. It is my favorite star since I was a child! I am so happy to know the name of this cluster! The Pleiades!❤️ Btw, nice explanation!❤️
This cluster was second to notice after Crux in my childhood.. at first I thought it's star constellation, however later I found it is too small to be called constellation. Whenever I was feeling down, I used to stare of it for a while and I felt bit better later... I even mentioned it on my thesis for my college degree, eventhough I'm studying psychology...
You possibly feel something when looking at the 7 sisters. Probably because our accient ancestor's come from there.
To sailers they've always been "The Seven Sisters"
I fell in love with this cluster since I was 15, I love how it's so small to notice but it pops out.
My favorite thing in the night sky. I live how it's easier to notice when you look away, rather than trying to focus on it/them...
You have explained the Plaeides star system in absolute detail for the layman. Very informative and enlightening. Thanks !
In Brazil, according to Tupi tradition, it is known as the wasp's nest, and it is also the tip of feathers in the "cocar" in the head of the Old man constellation
Thank you for sharing!
I've seen that and wondered what it was as it's collectively striking. I finally know about it in detail!
Thank you for letting us know more about what I have always called the 7 Sisters! I love learning about our stars. I love your channel!
“Keep looking up.” Great phrase. Reminds me of Jack Horkheimer, which puts you in stellar (!) company. Well done.
Awww! Thank you! I have always looked up to Jack Horkheimer. He was such a great educator. Thank you for watching.
Fascinating. I am fortunate to live in a dark skies area and see it all winter long. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Subaru!! amazing
I was able to first pick this out in the sky a few weeks ago thanks to your video on Taurus. I just bought a Celestron monocular and viewed it magnified for the first time past night, and wow - so beautiful!
All your videos are so great! Clear and informative!
A very interesting production. I drive a Subaru! A great voice, it relieves stress!
Fantastic video, i often sit and let myself get lost in this section of the sky, since i was a small boy i loved the winter night sky. This video has reminded me to get outside this winter in the dead of night and gaze my life away 😊 thank you, 1 new follower
Home sweet home! Thank you for this video as I keep wishing to go home and this is cool!
You can see them so clear up at my family’s home in Canada!
Thank you so much for covering this beautiful cluster! You also discribed it so well The mythology of that family is really something, to say the least, also. Much love 💚
That star cluster is home.
Love the explanation. I can find my constellation now. When I was a kid I used to look at the Pleiades and was 100% sure I saw the Little Dipper. I was wrong. I could find the big Ursa or the Big Dipper. (My phone corrected it to Big Diaper! Thanks Apple!) I used to always look at the three stars aligned which turned out to be a part of my constellation - the Orion. 😮 if you know the stories behind 10-15 stars or a few constellations those are great pick up lines. Lol. They make you look smart and the girls think it’s very romantic. There’s NOTHING MORE PRECIOUS THAN THE STARS AND THE COSMOS! Because space is the new frontier! Excellent explanation, and many thanks to the author. Subscribed and will look forward to more vids.
First video I’ve seen on your channel. Very well done! I like how you plunge into the details, but not too deep! Low magnification with a large aperture telescope gives the best views. Cheers, great work, and you have a subber.
Amazing video!!! Jam packed with info- I got 4/4 on your quiz to find Pleiades so I feel good about myself. No matter how often I look at Pleiades I am still awestruck by the beauty of it. I never knew it is called Subaru in Japan!! Awesome job!!!
Thanks for this Janine. I've been looking for more info on the 7 sisters for a while. I like the new info you put in there too. Great job❣️
I always see a question mark constellation in the sky when I was a child, then I'm so curious about it that one day I searched "what is the question mark constellation I see at night" and found this answer. So many busy years and days have passed and I can't see this cluster anymore until today, this brings me back so many nostalgia and memories and made my night. :) Best christmas gift for myself
Today is Wednesday March 22, 2023 and in the SouthWest area of Houston, Texas, U.S.A. you can clearly see them tonight, they are stunning, I love watching them! 🥰👍🏻👍🏻
thank you very much for your gorgeous videos and photos. i ' m a 70 years old astrologer and my sight is not very good ( - 6 d. ) and i always wanted to see the stars clearly, but with my eyes it didn t work. but now i can see them! thanks a lot. lg anette from germany
ITS DEFINITELY THE BEST CONSTALATION
Nice Channel. In the Book of Job of the Bible, Orion and Pleiades are mentioned in chapter 38. Good info you give.
It's true job 38:31
Studying Greek Mythology has brought me here..😂😂..The wonder of KZhead. Funny really now I'm in my 60s, It comes home to me, how much i dont know.. So much yet to know, but now so little time to get know it. Thanks from London England.. Subscribed..❤
Thank you so much! I’ve tried finding out what this beautiful cluster is for years! I have a star app on my phone but it only shows me Taurus & Auriga. Your video was literally the only helpful one I watched. And you’re right about looking off to the side of this constellation. That’s how I’ve always gazed at it. Time to invest in a telescope ☺️✨
Great stuff! Well done with alot of good & interesting info. Loved it!
Excellent. Thank you, Janine. Just wonderful.
I had a very vivid dream. Maybe it was sleep paralysis, but my body vibrated and shot up into deep space and the earth shrunk smaller and smaller and I found myself on a planet with blonde human-like people. The sunlight as blue and the vegetation all served a purpose and seemed to have consciousness. A being spoke to me telepathically and said you are in the star system you call the Pleiades. I’ll never forget that dream. It felt so real.
😲😲 Averted vision! That's exactly how I look at this star cluster. I catch it out of my peripheral, on purpose. I didn't know there was actually a name for it but that's how that's the only way I can actually see it clearly. It's the little things that make me happy
Anishinabe, call it the Seven Children, and they await as stars until they will mature, learn the language and culture and pass it on, as well as gain the knowledge of the elders and keep the secrets of the tribe. Once they learn, they then can return to earth. Cool video! 👍🏼🤓👍🏼
8AM from Washington DC memorial it provides its love for this nation. 💙 points at this star cluster. 🌟 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡
Thoroughly enjoyed the content,very informative and well explained.... thank you
Just found your channel!!! Yay, I love the presentation and your speaking voice is so nice to listen to. Thanks so much! New Sub from Michigan!!
Totally loved this. Am going to share. Thank you.
Pleiades over Italy!! So beautiful!
My favorite stars !! Good video I used to be way into the folklore of the Pleiades
My favourite cluster
Me too!
I just saw it in my 10x50's on accident and I was blown away,the flat images don't do it justice
Thank you for this video on Pleiades, It's my favourite thing to look for in the night sky and like some comments, makes me happy to see it. In Thai culture it's called 'chick stars' because the story was that the 7 chicks jumped into the fire following the death of mother hen who willingly was sacrificed as a meal for the forest monk who was passing by. So the angels brought them to the heavens to honour their love for their mother.
That's not the END,AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT AS WELL
Always wondered what that little "dipper" looking formation was. Just found out today and this video was very informative and enjoyable.
We call your dipper Big cart, and the smaller one with the polar star Small cart (or Huge bear and Tiny bear :). As a child I _always_ said proud, when my family looked into the night sky and my Mama explained the stars: "And I found the Small cart!" , and was told it was the Seven Stars. EACH and EVERY time. I was always mad against it! Would;SO have prefered the Small cart; the Big cart was 'my' childhood star sign which I always found and loved, and the small belonged to it somehow. But at one point which I do not remember I started to love the Seven Stars. It is now like a friend of mine, sends me greetings. Sometimes I only can see it with the side of my eyes, which Carl Sagen was kind enough to teach me in my early youth via tv. :) It's there, and I love it. One guy of a story I love even lives for some times there, since he had to flee bad creatures (a Lovecraft-Spin off). 'Where else?' I thought. And I LONG to be able to go and visit them, too. My late Mama used to confort me in my youth, we can do it after death. I hope it is true, and when I look around there, I finally will meet her and have her and my Granddad back :) This would be the final, the very best my friends, the Seven Stars, will do to me :)
I really think I am connected to these stars, since I was a child these are my favorite stars! I didn't know the name of these stars when I was a child. I always look up to the night sky to see these stars. When I am sad,happy,or angry I look at theses stars and will say "it's nice to see you!" and after that I'll feel better. We are 7 siblings, I am the sixth. It gives me a goosebumps when I found out that this cluster was also formed by the seven stars.
That technic to star gazeb never heard about it but figured it my self some how, and I think I have a super vision cause the amount of stars I can see
excellent....in teaching us on Pleiades Clusters!! so many light years away...Glad to identify from Orion Nebula!!
Thank you for a really great lesson in astronomy, very easy to understand !!!
Great production and teaching thanks 😀!
The averted vision part is what made me subscribe and like. Thank you for your style.
Welcome aboard! I'm glad you are here.
thank you for the great content, really appreciate it , keep it going always!
LOL When I was little I knew it wasn't the little dipper, so I called it the Shopping Cart. I'm glad science was able to help me xD
Amazing video Soooooo informative 👌🏼👌🏼 Just saw the Pleiades open cluster yesterday through 12 inch Dobsonian.
My first video from your channel...astronomy is my favourite...thank you for making this...really gives detailed knowledge.
I can’t believe the averted vision part because I naturally begun doing this and noticed more of Pleiades but when I look full on , it’s almost disappeared. I never knew the name of that cluster until now! I thought I was losing my mind and was hoping for an extraterrestrial answer!LOL! I now use averted vision quite a lot when looking now and have even seen a shooting star which romantically means to me that it was celebrating my new technique of seeing!LOL! Thanks for the information!
I always wondered what this little cluster of Stars was called and Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I can see these Stars with my very own eyes. I use my monocular and getting up close to you but not like any other cool telescope. Mine cost $50 bucks on Amazon.
I recently found your KZhead site and I have always called Pleiades a constellation and thanks to you have found out it's a "star cluster" I'll try to remember that when talking about it. I love Pleiades because where I live (Washington State) it's difficult to see all the stars in this cluster at the same time (one of the things that fascinates me about it) that and the difficulty I used to have finding it primarily because the stars are not very bright. Before I discovered that using Orions belt I used Averted Vision, not knowing what it was called (thank you for that!) pretty funny. I've always use both techniques to find, now I just kind of "know" where it's at. I like that the stars aren't visible to me all at once and find myself gazing at it more than any other constellation...oops Star Cluster. Thank You for all your knowledge about what most people don't even spend very much time even thinking about...our universe. Subscribed 👍 I also spend a lot of time with the asterism "The Summer Triangle"...I named my current dog Lyra, the dog I had before her Vega. Oh, one more thing using the Averted Vision technique I always see Pleiades as sort of cloud and when I look directly at it the cloud disappears.
Thank you for this wonderful content!
New subscriber from the Uk. Your videos are amazing 🤩
amazing presentation thank u so much
Great video . I'm new at stargazing and really enjoyed your video !!!
Thank you. Perfectly done.
Excellent presentation
Thank you! I had used the Pleadies in a Science Fiction novel and your presentation added some tidbits I missed.
Beautiful tour of the Pleiades, and other wonders of the winter night sky. With a nice commentary to accompany the video. Q : at 4:42 the planet close to the Pleiades, can Venus rise so high up close to the ecliptic? Could it be Jupiter perhaps, and the lower one near the moon is Mars? Thanks for a great presentation. So nice to see and listen.
Thank you for your comment, I appreciate your support. To answer your question....yes, I do think that could be a possibility. I presented it how the picture was labeled when I found it.
That is no way the moon. We all know how he looks- not like a blue Rigel or so. He is so close that he has the yellow sun color, and you see the valleys, etc. A complete different body. I found the so-called Jupiter to small too for being Jupiter. Not sure if the blue in the picture is Jupiter, which is called 'golden' due of its brownish colur. But it would rather be Jupiter. As said, the color ssys Rigel. Today in the map Beteigeuze sits on the taurus' horn, but this would be red. How about Prokyon? The Orion's dog, which runs forward him?
The Japanese name for the Pleiades is Subaru, hence the logo of the car.
This is amazing, thank you!
Good to see you again. I had cyber harassment issues. I enjoy your videos. Take care and keep looking up. Jesus is coming sister.
Great information video. Thanks
Thanks for the information! 👍
The bright light at 5:40 is probable Jupiter, as it was very close to Aldebaran a few years ago. I really love that part of the night sky, as it is best visible on cloudless nights in winter when there is less moisture in the air. And my star sign is Taurus. But Sirius has always been my favourite star.
In SW MO I see Orion every night early after dark and follow it from East to West. Now I will be able to identify Pleiades with a name. Thank you for your time that you take to teach us the stars.
Thanks very much enjoyed your video.
Thank you that was good showing of these stars and location s. Now I can try to find them in the Sky. 😁🙏
I want to see Mars going through the Pleiades next week!
My favorite Star ✨
Great channel. Thank you 👍
I was watching it with my daughter the other day and she saw a butterfly in it! Awesome video!
When my daughter first saw it with binoculars, She said they looked like spirits dancing in the sky.
My favorite alcyone 😍🌌
Thanks for watching! New to stargazing? Download my FREE Stargazing Starter Guide: www.learnthesky.com/stargazing_starter_guide
Excellent. Thanks!
Very good video! I love it!
Pleidian starseed here ! 🤩 always dreaming of home
I just found your channel. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. So very interesting. New subscriber here 🙏