Stirling Astronomical Society Gallery

One of the nearest open clusters to Earth (445 light years) the Subaru, or Pleiades, cluster is a familiar sight in our winter skies. Easily located by following the line of three stars in Orion's belt upwards past the 'V' of Taurus, this naked eye cluster of bright young stars is also known as the Seven Sisters. The age of the cluster (less than 100 million years) can be estimated from the ages of the hottest and brightest stars. The wisps of nebulosity are formed by starlight reflected from a cloud of gas and dust that the cluster is passing through.