Home
/
News & Media
/
Space & Skywatching
/
Pleiades, the 'Seven Sisters' Constellation, Shines Bright From Nightfall to Dawn in November
Pleiades, the 'Seven Sisters' Constellation, Shines Bright From Nightfall to Dawn in November
Dec 25, 2024 2:11 AM

The photo above show the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the "Seven Sisters."

(Marco Lorenzi/NASA)

Nicknamed the “Seven Sisters,” the Pleiades is a small, hazy cluster of stars that have the best visibility in the month of November.

According to Smithsonian.com, the Pleiades cluster will before heading back towards the horizon.

The cluster, which can be seen with both the unaided eye or an optical aid, is , according to EarthSky. During November nights, Pleiades shines from nightfall until dawn. They typically begin rising around 7 p.m.

"The best viewing conditions through Friday night can be expected across the Deep South and Desert Southwest, where mostly clear conditions are forecast," said weather.com meteorologist Quincy Vagell. "Optimal viewing conditions tonight across the Ohio Valley and Midwest should be taken advantage of before clouds roll in later Friday. Further east, clouds tonight will give way to better conditions for Friday night across the Northeast and Middle Atlantic region."

(MORE:)

"The Northwest and northern Plains may have difficulty viewing the star cluster," Vagell added, "although some breaks in the clouds late Friday may be just enough to catch a glimpse."

The formation of the stars bears a , which people in the Northern Hemisphere often mistake it for. The Little Dipper is located farther north, on the sky’s dome. Pleiades hovers in the northeastern horizon.

The actual number of the visible stars of Pleiades may be , depending on how dark the sky is and the stargazer’s ability to see, according to NASA.

In a sense, the Pleiades stars are actually sisters. In addition to their close proximity to one another, around 100 million years ago, EarthSky also reports.

The cluster will be .

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: 2015 It's Amazing Out There Photo Contest: Star Gazing

“The Milky Way Over Turret Arch” submitted by Ron Risman

Comments
Welcome to zdweather comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Space & Skywatching
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zdweather.com All Rights Reserved