Exploring the Pleiades Star Cluster

Spotting the Pleiades in Autumn and Winter: In the Northern Hemisphere, spotting the Pleiades star cluster becomes feasible during the autumn and winter months. November marks the prime time for observation, as the cluster is visible from evening until dawn, reaching its zenith in the sky.

• Early in October, the Pleiades emerge a couple of hours after sunset, climbing higher in the sky by February (timing varies by latitude).
• While visible in late summer and early autumn, the Pleiades are only prominent in the middle of the night.

Orient towards the southern horizon. The Pleiades emerge in the southeastern sky after dusk, traversing westward throughout the night. At their zenith in November, they ascend prominently before fading into the northwest by dawn. In late winter and early spring, their visibility diminishes to a few hours, moving east to west across the southern sky.

Locate Orion. Orion the Hunter stands out as one of the most renowned and distinctive constellations in the heavens. On a winter evening from a mid-northern latitude, he appears nearly due south, positioned halfway between the horizon and directly overhead. Identify him by his belt, a line of three closely spaced bright stars. Betelgeuse, a red star nearby, forms his left shoulder (from your vantage point), while Rigel, a blue giant opposite the belt, represents his right leg.

Follow Orion's belt to find Aldebaran. Regard Orion's belt as an indicator pointing toward your subsequent landmark, progressing from left to right across the sky. Typically, this direction leads to the northwest. The following prominent star in this trajectory is Aldebaran, another bright red-orange star. Its Arabic name means 'Follower,' likely due to its nightly pursuit of the Pleiades.

• Aldebaran does not align perfectly with the belt. Avoid solely relying on binoculars for navigation, as you might overshoot it.
• Around March, or earlier in extreme northern latitudes, Aldebaran sinks below the horizon. If Aldebaran isn't visible, continue following Orion's belt until you reach the Pleiades.

Continue your journey towards the Pleiades. Maintain your gaze in the same direction (usually northwest), proceeding from Orion's belt past Aldebaran and further. In close proximity to Aldebaran, you'll encounter a compact cluster of blue stars—this is the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters or M45.

• Most individuals can discern only six stars with the naked eye, or possibly a blurred aggregation if light pollution intervenes. Under optimal conditions with a clear, dark-adapted sky, you may perceive more than seven.
• The Seven Sisters are densely grouped together, spanning only about two-thirds the width of Orion's Belt. This is notably smaller than the Big Dipper or Little Dipper, two star formations that novices sometimes mistake for the Pleiades.

Utilize Taurus as a navigational aid in future observations. The aforementioned red star, Aldebaran, also serves as the eye of Taurus, the Bull constellation. The nearby Hyades star cluster forms the bull's jaw. Familiarizing yourself with this constellation enables you to use it as a reference point to locate the nearby Pleiades.

• Taurus may be challenging to discern during periods of bright moonlight, particularly in urban locales.

Spot the Pleiades during spring and summer. From approximately October to April, during the spring and summer months in the Southern Hemisphere, the Pleiades become visible.

Orient towards the northern horizon. By late November, the Pleiades emerge in the northeast around dusk, traversing westward until dawn. As the seasons advance, the Pleiades rise higher in the sky upon their appearance and spend less time visible.

Identify a cluster of luminous stars. In the Southern Hemisphere, Orion appears inverted, resembling a saucepan to some observers, with Orion's sword forming the upward-pointing handle. The trio of bright stars forming the rim of the saucepan (or Orion's belt) serves as a reference point for locating various constellations.

• This line includes the prominent red star Betelgeuse and the brilliant blue star Rigel.

Trace the line to Aldebaran. Utilize the line as a guide directing leftward across the sky. The subsequent bright star in this trajectory is Aldebaran, a luminous red supergiant and the eye of Taurus the Bull constellation. Under clear skies and faint moonlight, the Hyades star cluster forms the bull's chin adjacent to Aldebaran.

Proceed towards the Pleiades. Continue tracing the same trajectory from Orion's belt, and you'll encounter a somewhat faint cluster of azure stars. These constitute the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters—although most individuals can only perceive six or fewer, while telescopes reveal many more. The Pleiades form an 'asterism,' a star pattern considerably smaller than a constellation. Relative to your outstretched thumb at arm's length, the cluster spans approximately twice the width of your thumbnail.

• Even when the Pleiades vanish from sight, they still ascend above the horizon, albeit too close to the dawn sun for observation. Subsequently, around May or June, they become visible near dawn (albeit challenging to discern without clear weather). The initial 'heliacal rising' (rising in close proximity to the sun) of the year is linked with spring festivities in certain regions.
• Opt for binoculars over a telescope. Given the Pleiades' relatively expansive coverage, binoculars offer a wider field of view compared to telescopes.

• Clear skies
• Binoculars (optional)