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Messier 45 |
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 | M45, or NGC1432, a portion of the Pleiades open star cluster in the constellation Taurus, at a distance of some 410 light-years. The glow around the stars is interstellar dust which shines by reflected starlight. The entire group is contained within a span of 20 light-years, and is believed to be 20 million years old. In 7x50 binoculars, a dozens or so stars are visible. The seven brightest ones stand out prominently, with a multitude of fainter ones interspersed throughout the cluster. The entire cluster easily fits within the field of view. One of the stars, Alcyone, makes a nice visual binary. In a 8-inch scope, this cluster is absolutely gorgeous, with several small chains and patterns of stars. You never get tired of looking at it. With the naked eye, you can pick out six of the brightest stars. How many can you see with your eyes?. |
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| You can find more information about this Messier object by visiting: SEDS - The Messier Catalog. |
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Pleiades Seven Sisters M45 30 Sky Database: Messier Objects RA: 03h 47m 13.2s Dec: +24°07'47" RA: 03h 47m 00.0s Dec: +24°07'00" (Epoch 2000) Azm: 253°38'44" Alt: +48°11'32" Rise: 02:38 Transit: 10:33 Set: 18:27 |