This image shows the M45 open star cluster in Taurus, an incredible blue reflection nebula surrounds the stars. The star cluster drifts through space illuminating the dark dust in the immediate surrounds. Further out you can see lanes of dark dust that flow through this region of the milkyway.
M45 is visible to the naked eye from most parts of the world it is known under many different names by different cultures, known as the Pleiades in the west but known as Matariki to the Maori, Tzab-ek to the Mayans, the Subaru in Japan and Tianquiztli to the Aztecs.
The seven main stars of the open cluster are easily visible but now we know it’s comprised of hundreds of stars in a loosely joined cluster. In future they will drift past the current cloud of dust and the beautiful blue nebulosity will be lost from our view, so I count myself lucky to live in a time where we can look on it with wonder.
Photographer: Ronan Hunt
Full Resolution: 3362x2522 pix, 2 Editions Jpeg
Image Credit: Ronan Hunt
