Brightest Stars
The nine brightest stars of the Pleiades are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology: Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Alcyone, along with their parents Atlas and Pleione. As daughters of Atlas, the Hyades were sisters of the Pleiades. The English name of the cluster itself is of Greek origin, though of uncertain etymology. Suggested derivations include: from πλεîν pleîn, to sail, making the Pleiades the "sailing ones"; from pleos, full or many; or from peleiades, flock of doves. The following table gives details of the brightest stars in the cluster:
| Name | Pronunciation (IPA & respelling) | Designation | Apparent magnitude | Stellar classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcyone | /ælˈsaɪ.əniː/ al-SY-ə-nee | Eta (25) Tauri | 2.86 | B7IIIe |
| Atlas | /ˈætləs/ AT-ləs | 27 Tauri | 3.62 | B8III |
| Electra | / |
17 Tauri | 3.70 | B6IIIe |
| Maia | /ˈmeɪə, ˈmaɪə/ MAY-ə, MY-ə | 20 Tauri | 3.86 | B7III |
| Merope | /ˈmɛrəpiː/ MERR-ə-pee | 23 Tauri | 4.17 | B6IVev |
| Taygeta | /teɪˈɪdʒ |
19 Tauri | 4.29 | B6V |
| Pleione | /ˈplaɪ.əniː/ PLY-ə-nee | 28 (BU) Tauri | 5.09 (var.) | B8IVpe |
| Celaeno | /s |
16 Tauri | 5.44 | B7IV |
| Sterope, Asterope | /ˈstɛrɵpiː, əˈstɛrɵpiː/ (ə)-STERR-ə-pee | 21 and 22 Tauri | 5.64;6.41 | B8Ve/B9V |
| — | — | 18 Tauri | 5.65 | B8V |
Read more about this topic: Pleiades
Famous quotes containing the words brightest and/or stars:
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“I am the owner of the sphere,
Of the seven stars and the solar year,
Of Caesar’s hand, and Plato’s brain,
Of Lord Christ’s heart, and Shakspeare’s strain.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)