FIND THE PLEIADES:

Finding the Pleiades is really quite easy. No doubt you have already seen the cluster while casually stargazing. The Pleiades is best found on clear, moonless nights when the constellation Orion is visible. Orion's three bright belt stars provide a pointer to the Pleiades.

The Pleiades aren't a constellation themselves, but are part of a constellation called Taurus the Bull. 'Tis best to hunt for the Pleiades during the cold winter months in the Northern Hemisphere (summer in the Southern Hemisphere), when the cluster is high in the sky and when the moon is not. Bright moonlight "washes out" the dimmer stars. The best view is through binoculars under dark sky conditions. Sadly, the sky over most urban areas on Earth has become so cluttered with wasteful light (light pollution) that most urban residents must flee to the countryside to find dark skies.

Once you find the Pleiades, gaze at it for several minutes with your unaided eyes and with binoculars to see all the stars that might be visible from your location. How many stars can you count with your unaided eyes? How many can you count with binoculars?

The fuzzy blue color seen in the background photo of the Pleiades is usually not visible to human eyes.

As you admire the sight of this cluster of starry gems in a dark night sky, contemplate how astronauts/cosmonauts have seen them while high above the Earth and remember all the explorers of the cosmic realm.

THE LINK BELOW WILL GUIDE YOU TO THE PLEIADES:

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Copyrighted background image courtesy of R.M. Sandy and C. Lang, Virginia.