The Pleiades

    


   

 

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

The Pleiades

The Pleiades (M45) is an open star cluster that is often visible to the unaided eye. It can be found in the constellation Taurus.

  • It's known by seven particularly prominent stars (Electra, Taygete, Maia, Celaeno, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope)
  • It's about 444 light years from Earth (1 light year is 9.5 trillion km)
  • In Arabic, this asterism is known as "ath-Thurayya"

About the verse in which Allah the Most High says, "By the star when it goes down." (Qur'an 53:1), in the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, it is mentioned, "Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said, "The star refers to the Pleiades when it sets at Fajr."

Hadrat Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (Sayyidina Muhammad) ﷺ as saying, "If the religion (din) were at the Pleiades, even then a person from Persia would have taken hold of it, or one amongst the Persian descent would have surely found it." (Muslim)


Irshaad Rashid
(last update 10/26/23)

                  The Pleiades through a telescope
Photo Credit: Irshaad Rashid
Click photo to enlarge.


                  The Pleiades
Photo Credit: Irshaad Rashid
Click photo to enlarge.



                  The Pleiades in the night sky
Photo Credit: Irshaad Rashid
Click photo to enlarge.