 |
Young Observers |  |
|
Young Observers | |
This
star cluster that look like a tiny little dipper has about 400 stars that
formed together in one huge gas cloud around 20 million years ago. That
is young compared to most stars that we see. They were not even there when
the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Most people can see six stars with their naked eyes, but some people with exeptional eyesight can see seven stars. The Pleiades are also known as the Seven Sisters.
According to a Native American legend, the Pleiades are connected with Devil's Tower, that famous rock formation in Wyoming (remember the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind?")
As in the Native American's lore, the Devil's Tower was raised up by the Great Spirit to protect seven Native American maidens who were about to be killed by a giant bear (Ursa Major). The maidens were placed in the sky for protection and the bear's claw marks can still be seen on the sides of Devil's Tower. They remained in the sky staying close together and the seventh sister is hard to see because she really wants to go back to Earth, and her tears dim her luster.
Look for the Pleiades halfway up the sky due east this month. They look
their best in binoculars.
 |
This page last modified: November 1, 1999 |  |