Messier 45 - The Pleiades Star Cluster

This amazing star cluster is a ‘mere’ 444 light years from our Earth. It’s been the subject of myth and lore throughout history of humankind. Also known as the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades is slowly drifting through an area of thick dust—dust once thought to be the birthplace of the stars.

I love the striations on the brighter parts of the nebulous regions. I’d imagine it’s from the larger O-Type (blue) stars’ winds pushing the dust aside as they pass through.

  • Distance: 444 Light Years

    Diameter: 35 Light Years

  • William Optics Z73 Telescope

    QHY 268 C Dedicated Astronomy Camera

    EQ6-R Pro Computerized Mount

  • Acquired Nov. 6, 2021. Total of 30 x 300 second (5-min) subframes for just over 2.5 hours of exposure time. I used a simple UV/IR cut filter (ZWO), as I was in Bortle 3 skies (fairly dark).