Seven sisters

2001/05/07 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronomia

The Pleiades are the most famous star group, because they look at the naked eye. They were known in prehistory and their first mention was a. C. C. He did so around the year 1000. It seems that at that time they were related to agricultural times. They also appear in the Odyssey and Homer’s Bible and according to Greek mythology they have been called ‘seven sisters’. And it is that, if the situation is good, nine stars are seen, of which two brightest are the father and mother and others his seven daughters. The name of the ‘father’ is Atlas and gives name to the entire ‘mother’ group (Pleione). Alcyone, Asterope, Elektra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta and Celaeno.

However, the group is much more numerous and there are at least 500 stars around. Due to their low brightness, they are less easy to see and have less density, but among all they form a great show.