Can You See the Pleiades Tonight? Learn How to See the M45 Star Cluster
The Pleiades is one of the brightest deep-sky objects in the sky. This hazy “little dipper” is so bright you can see it with the naked eye! To quickly find the Pleiades in the sky in your location, use the free Sky Tonight app. Now, let’s learn more about this fascinating star cluster.
Contents
- Where is the Pleiades star cluster?
Pleiades tonight: see them next to the Moon
- September 12: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- October 10: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- November 6: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- December 4: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- December 31: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- January 27, 2026: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- February 24, 2026: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- The birth and death of the Pleiades
- How many stars in the Pleiades cluster?
- Pleiades star cluster in myths and legends
- 4 things you probably didn’t know about the Pleiades
- F.A.Q.
- Pleiades star cluster: to sum up
Where is the Pleiades star cluster?
The Pleiades can be found in the constellation Taurus. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s best to look for it in January and February. In the Southern Hemisphere, the cluster is best seen from December to March.
How to find the Pleiades?
First, find Orion’s Belt and draw an imaginary line through its three stars towards Orion’s bow. The next bright star you’ll see in this direction is Aldebaran – the brightest star of the constellation Taurus and the eye of the celestial bull. Continue the line in this direction, and eventually, you’ll find the Pleiades – a dim blue patch around Taurus’ shoulder.
Where are the Pleiades tonight?
Since the trajectory of the Pleiades is close to the ecliptic, it can be observed from any point except for the Antarctic Circle. To check the position of the star cluster, use the stargazing app Sky Tonight: launch the app, and tap the magnifier icon at the lower part of the screen. Then type “Pleiades” in the search bar and tap on the target icon opposite the corresponding search result. The app will show the cluster’s current position in the sky, so you can see if it is visible now in your location.
Pleiades tonight: see them next to the Moon
September 12: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 21:48 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°
- Occultation start: 20:30 GMT
- Occultation end: 22:50 GMT
On September 12, the 75%-illuminated Moon will pass near the Pleiades. Both objects will rise above the northeastern horizon at midnight. Additionally, observers from the northern part of Africa, the eastern part of Europe, and the western part of Asia will witness the lunar occultation of the Pleiades, where the Moon appears to pass over the star cluster. For a more detailed view, grab a pair of binoculars.
October 10: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 05:20 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°54'
- Occultation start: 04:50 GMT
- Occultation end: 06:20 GMT
On October 10, the 87%-illuminated Moon will pass close to the Pleiades. Additionally, the occultation will be visible from the remote South Atlantic Ocean, between South America and Antarctica, where the Moon will appear to partially cover the star cluster.
Both objects will rise not long before midnight above the northeastern horizon. They will be positioned low in the sky, so ensure you have a clear, unobstructed view. For a closer look, use binoculars.
November 6: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 15:26 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°48'
- Occultation start: 12:27 GMT
- Occultation end: 17:48 GMT
On November 6, the nearly full Moon (99% illuminated) will pass right next to the beautiful Pleiades star cluster. For observers along a wide path stretching from eastern Asia across the Pacific and into parts of North America, the event will be even more dramatic: they’ll see a lunar occultation of the Pleiades.
During the occultation, the Moon will slide directly in front of the cluster, causing its stars to vanish and reappear one by one along the lunar limb. In Busan, South Korea, the Moon will cover Taygeta and Sterope, while in Shanghai and Beijing, China, observers will see Maya, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Sterope all disappear behind the Moon.
The pair will rise shortly after sunset and climb high into the sky by midnight, making them well placed for observation. However, because the Moon is just past full phase, its bright glare will overwhelm much of the delicate glow of the cluster.
December 4: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 02:54 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°48'
- Occultation start: December 3, 23:55 GMT
- Occultation end: December 4, 05:18 GMT
On December 4, the 98%-illuminated Moon will pass close to the Pleiades star cluster. Observers located across northern Africa, most of Europe, and North America will witness an even more dramatic event: a lunar occultation of the Pleiades.
From these regions, the Moon will appear to drift directly in front of the Pleiades, hiding and then gradually revealing its stars. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Moon will pass through the heart of the cluster, covering some of its brightest jewels – Electra, Merope, Maya, and Alcyone. From Chicago, the Moon will skim the cluster’s edge, occulting Electra, Celaeno, Maya, and Taygeta.
The pair will rise in the late evening and reach the highest point about an hour after midnight. Because the Moon is just past full, its bright light will significantly wash out the delicate stars of the Pleiades.
December 31: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 13:21 GMT
- Close approach distance: 0°48'
- Occultation start: 10:20 GMT
- Occultation end: 15:40 GMT
On the last day of the year, the 88%-illuminated Moon will glide past the Pleiades star cluster. For observers across eastern Asia, Japan, and much of Russia, this will not only be a close approach but also a lunar occultation of the Pleiades. From these regions, the Moon will appear to cover and then uncover the cluster, with stars winking out one by one behind the bright lunar limb.
In New Delhi, India, the stars Celaeno, Maia, Taygeta, and Sterope will slip behind the Moon during the daytime and later reappear. Farther north, across parts of Siberia, the occultation will be even deeper: nearly half of the cluster — including Electra, Celaeno, Maia, Taygeta, and Sterope — will vanish behind the Moon before gradually returning to view.
The pair will rise before sunset and reach the highest point by late evening, making them well-placed for observation. The bright glare of the Moon can overwhelm much of the cluster's glow. Binoculars will help pull the stars of the Pleiades back into view.
January 27, 2026: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 21:07 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°06'
- Occultation start: 17:59 GMT
- Occultation end: 23:33 GMT
On January 27, the 65%-illuminated Moon will pass close to the Pleiades star cluster. For observers across Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, and parts of western Asia, this will be a lunar occultation of the Pleiades. From these regions, the Moon will appear to slide directly in front of the cluster.
In Paris, the Moon will skim the cluster’s edge, covering only its two bright stars — Taygeta and Sterope. Farther north, in Reykjavik, the event will be more dramatic, with Taygeta, Celaeno, Maia, and Sterope disappearing behind the Moon before gradually reappearing.
Both objects will rise during the afternoon daylight and become visible after sunset, reaching their highest point by early evening. Even though the Moon’s light might outshine much of the Pleiades, binoculars will reveal more stars of the cluster, and a small telescope will let you follow the stars as they vanish and reappear along the Moon’s edge.
February 24, 2026: Pleiades near the Moon; lunar occultation of the Pleiades
- Close approach time: 02:43 GMT
- Close approach distance: 1°12'
- Occultation start: February 23, 23:37 GMT
- Occultation end: February 24, 05:14 GMT
On February 24, the 38%-illuminated Moon will pass close to the Pleiades star cluster. For observers across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, this event will feature a lunar occultation of the Pleiades, where the Moon will appear to cover and then uncover the stars in the cluster.
In the northern parts of North America, the occultation will be deepest, with the Moon hiding nearly half of the cluster, including the stars Maya and Taygeta. Farther south, the Moon will pass at a greater distance from the Pleiades. In Edmonton, Canada, for example, only Sterope will be covered.
Both objects will rise in the morning hours and reach their highest point after sunset, making the event well placed for evening observation. Because the Moon will be only a crescent, its glare will be less overwhelming, offering a good opportunity to view the occultation clearly. Binoculars will enhance the view of the cluster, while a small telescope will allow you to follow individual stars as they disappear behind the Moon.
The birth and death of the Pleiades
The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, are an open cluster — a family of stars born from the same colossal cloud of gas and dust.
Their story began when a massive cloud of gas and dust collapsed under its own gravity, igniting intense temperatures that sparked the birth of these stars.
In the grand timeline of the Universe, the Pleiades are relatively young, estimated to be about 100 million years old. To put this in perspective, dinosaurs appeared on the Earth long before the Pleiades lit up our skies.
The most prominent stars in the cluster are hot B-type stars, known for their high temperatures and remarkable luminosity. These energetic stars emit an intense blue light that is beautifully reflected by the surrounding nebulae — clouds of gas and dust that create the cluster's ethereal blue glow.
These reflecting nebulae were once thought to be leftover material from the Pleiades’ formation, but are now thought to be an unrelated cloud of dust in the interstellar medium through which the stars are currently passing.
The Pleiades are not destined to last forever. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for about 250 million years, after which it will be lost to gravitational interactions with the galactic neighborhood.
How many stars in the Pleiades cluster?
In total, the cluster contains about 1,000 members. Its brightest stars are named after the Greek myth’s characters: the Pleiades themselves – Alcyone, Electra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Asterope (Sterope) – and their parents, Atlas and Pleione. Find them sorted by magnitude in the list below:
- Alcyone (25 Tauri): 2.86
- Atlas (27 Tauri): 3.62
- Electra (17 Tauri): 3.7
- Maia (20 Tauri): 3.86
- Merope (23 Tauri): 4.17
- Taygeta (19 Tauri): 4.29
- Pleione (28 Tauri): 5.09
- Celaeno (16 Tauri): 5.44
- Sterope I (Asterope, 21 Tauri): 5.64
- Sterope II (22 Tauri): 6.41
How many stars are visible in the Pleiades?
Naked-eyed observers usually spot six stars at a glimpse. However, the longer you look, the more stars you see, given an acute vision and clear skies without light pollution. An American astronomer Robert Burnham Jr. claimed to see 20; most people see no more than 14. Binoculars can give a better view of the cluster and the nebulosity surrounding it. All the brightest stars can be found within a 1° field of view; telescopes with high magnification will help see the fainter ones.
What star is missing?
If most people see the cluster as a six-star pattern, why is it called the Seven Sisters? The reason is that the sky looked different in ancient times when the name was made up. Back then, naked-eyed observers could instantly see seven stars in the cluster. Over time, one of them disappeared from view. Our ancestors noticed and reflected it in myths, which we will discuss later.
The change was caused by Pleione, the seventh-brightest star of the cluster. It is a shell star that varies in brightness; it used to be more prominent but faded below the naked-eye visibility. One more explanation is that Pleione’s position in the sky changed over time, and it came so close to Atlas that the two stars began to look like one to the naked eye.
Pleiades star cluster in myths and legends
Many cultures have similar stories about the origin of the Pleiades star cluster, possibly inspired by the star's disappearance. Some scientists believe they were made up 100,000 years ago! When the seventh star vanished, ancient people tried to explain that through myths.
Seven Sisters star cluster could be the Seven Brothers
For example, the Australian legend tells about the seven sisters who fled into the sky from the old man chasing them; one of the women was captured and saved later. Native Americans had various myths about the seven brothers who rose to the sky while running or dancing in a circle. According to the Cherokee version, one of the boys was caught by his mother and failed to make it to the sky.
The Pleiades and Orion: the Greek myth
The Greek myth is the most popular version of the story. According to it, the Pleiades were daughters of the titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione. After a chance encounter with the sisters, the hunter Orion fell in love and started chasing them. Zeus decided to protect the girls from the unwanted attention and turned the sisters into doves, so they could fly up and become the stars. Before ascending to the sky, one of the sisters, Merope, was married to a mortal, King Sisyphus. When the gods condemned him to roll a boulder forever, she was so ashamed of him that she hid her face and disappeared from the night sky.
Interestingly, in the myth, it is Merope that is referred to as “the lost Pleiad”. But in fact, the missing star that gave rise to the creation of the myth is not Merope, but Pleione, named after her mother.
4 things you probably didn’t know about the Pleiades
-
The Pleiades were mentioned in the Bible three times – all three times along with the constellation Orion.
-
In ancient times, many cultures used the Pleiades as a calendar. By its appearance in the sky, the farmers knew when to start harvesting or planting crops, and the sailors understood when it was time to open the navigation season (the name “Pleiades” was possibly derived from the Greek word meaning “to sail”).
-
The cloud of interstellar dust surrounding the Pleiades is not a part of the cluster. It was believed to be the remnants of the material from which the stars were born. But it turned out that the nebulosity is independent and just happens to be near the Pleiades.
-
The Pleiades inspired the name and the six-star logo of the Japanese car-manufacturing company Subaru (the Japanese name for the cluster). You might have thought the creators wanted to be astronomically accurate and made it look like the Pleiades on the actual night sky. But in fact, the logo illustrates the company's history. In Japanese, “subaru” also means “united”, and the stars represent five small companies that merged into one big – Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company.
F.A.Q.
Who found the Pleiades?
Galileo Galilei was the first to observe the Pleiades through a telescope. However, the star cluster was known long before that: its “origin story” may date back to 100,000 BC. The name of the first person to see the Pleiades in the sky has not been preserved in history.
How old are the Pleiades?
The answer depends on the age-measuring method. For example, if we compare the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the Pleiades and theoretical models of stellar evolution, we get figures from 75 to 150 million years.
Are the Pleiades a constellation?
No, the Pleiades are a star cluster – a group of stars that are gravitationally bound and formed from the same molecular cloud. In contrast, a constellation is also a group of stars, but they are not physically bound to one another. There are 88 constellations officially recognized by the IAU. Read our dedicated article to learn more about constellations and their particular features.
When are the Pleiades visible?
In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s best to look for it in January and February. In the Southern Hemisphere, the cluster is best seen from December to March.
Can you see the Pleiades with the naked eye?
The Pleiades are in the top 3 best naked-eye star clusters. Most people see it as a group of six stars, but if you have good eyesight and it's dark enough outside, you can spot up to 14 stars.
Pleiades star cluster: to sum up
The Pleiades are an open star cluster and one of the brightest deep-sky objects. Under dark skies, they are visible to the naked eye: most observers can spot six stars resembling a smaller version of the Big Dipper. With the aid of optics, more stars become visible, along with a nebulosity that appears to envelop the star cluster. The Pleiades are a great target for amateur deep-sky observers as they’re bright and easy to see. The Sky Tonight app simplifies locating the Pleiades: with just a few taps, you can find it in the night sky.
We wish you clear skies and happy observations!
