In astronomy, the Pleiades known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45 is an open star cluster situated in the constellation of Taurus. It contains hundreds of stars and is among the nearest star clusters to Mother Earth ( Gaia). They are thought to have formed together over a hundred million years ago and the most luminous stars dominate the cluster, only some of which are visable to the naked eye in the midnight blue sky. The Pleiades mythology has numerous meaning in different cultures believed to have formed and added to over the years. The most known version is the Greek myth of the Pleiades ~ The Seven daughters of the God Atlas ( who was punished to hold the sky on his shoulders) and the sea nymph Pleione. After Atlas was forced to carry the heavens, Orion pursued all of the Pleiades. Zeus is said to have transformed the nymphs into doves and then into shining bright stars to bring comfort to their father. The constellation of Orion is said to still pursue them across the night sky. The nine most shimmering and illumed stars of the Pleiades are identified with the Seven Sisters ( the seven mountain nymphs) ~ Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygete, Celaeno, and Alcyone, along with their parents.

Many a night I saw the Pleiades, rising thro' the mellow shade, Glitter like a swarm of fireflies tangled in a silver braid. Alfred Lord Tennyson