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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Pleiades: The Seven Sisters Star Cluster
NASA ^ | 9 Dec, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Francesco Pelizzo

Posted on 12/09/2024 12:15:39 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Have you ever seen the Pleiades star cluster? Even if you have, you probably have never seen it as large and clear as this. Perhaps the most famous star cluster on the sky, the bright stars of the Pleiades can be seen with the unaided eye even from the depths of a light-polluted city. With a long exposure from a dark location, though, the dust cloud surrounding the Pleiades star cluster becomes very evident. The featured 23-hour exposure, taken from Fagagna, Italy covers a sky area several times the size of the full moon. Also known as the Seven Sisters and M45, the Pleiades lies about 400 light years away toward the constellation of the Bull (Taurus). A common legend with a modern twist is that one of the brighter stars faded since the cluster was named, leaving only six of the sister stars visible to the unaided eye. The actual number of Pleiades stars visible, however, may be more or less than seven, depending on the darkness of the surrounding sky and the clarity of the observer's eyesight.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 12/09/2024 12:15:39 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 12/09/2024 12:16:11 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 12/09/2024 12:16:55 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

They used to be prettier.


4 posted on 12/09/2024 12:17:56 PM PST by FreeperCell
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To: MtnClimber
"you probably have never seen it as large and clear as this"

I can barely see it with all that dust in the way.
5 posted on 12/09/2024 12:19:46 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: MtnClimber

SUBARU!............................


6 posted on 12/09/2024 12:20:58 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: FreeperCell

Seven is ‘Completion”


7 posted on 12/09/2024 12:22:17 PM PST by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: FreeperCell
They used to be prettier.

After millions of years they are all harridans. So sad.

8 posted on 12/09/2024 12:31:41 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

My favorite chapter in the Old Testament is God’s answer to Job in Job 38.

A verse from there:
Job 38:31 - Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?


9 posted on 12/09/2024 12:36:58 PM PST by BamaBelle (Psa 143:8 - ...cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.)
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To: FreeperCell

“They used to be prettier.”

Here’s the thing. The clear night sky background is black to the our eyes. And you can be standing in a quiet place and hear no sound.

But, if a very sensitive microphone and amp is brought to that quiet place, you’ll hear all sorts of noises.

Similarly, if you amplify that night-sky background sufficiently, it will pick up light you can’t see. You could call it light noise.

Personally, my night sky is black and my quiet places are quiet. Our eyes see what they need to see and our ears hear what they need to hear.


10 posted on 12/09/2024 12:49:13 PM PST by cymbeline
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To: MtnClimber

Subaru logo.


11 posted on 12/09/2024 1:16:38 PM PST by AlaskaErik (There are three kinds of rats: Rats, Damned Rats, and DemocRats.)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

yeah, was hoping for a nicer pic this thing is too busy with color and dust.


12 posted on 12/09/2024 1:42:24 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9
Yup. I still like the traditional one we see all the time:



It's my iPhone background, btw. I know there is more dust there that is too dim to see with shorter exposures, but that's the way with anything in astrophotography. It depends on how much you want to see.
13 posted on 12/09/2024 1:50:32 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: MtnClimber

Where the ancient aliens came from!


14 posted on 12/09/2024 2:41:37 PM PST by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Oh, that’s beautiful. Thank you.

It so happens I’ve been waiting for months for when the Pleiades are within sight to go out at night and view. I think they are very beautiful. Thank you for the pic :)


15 posted on 12/09/2024 3:30:56 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Telepathic Intruder

This is how I like to see them, too. I can appreciate longer exposure photos, but I like this view.


16 posted on 12/09/2024 4:03:51 PM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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