Pleiades

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pleiades

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the designation?Messier 45 (M45), also known as the Seven Sisters
2. What is the type of stellar group?Open star cluster containing young, hot, blue B-type stars
3. What are the Pleiades and why are they called the Seven Sisters?The Pleiades are a bright group of stars that look like seven shining sisters in the sky. They are called the Seven Sisters because they appear as a cluster of seven bright stars.
4. How far away are the Pleiades and can we see them with our eyes?They are about 444 light‑years from Earth, so close enough that we can see them with our naked eye even if there is some light pollution.

Asterism: A recognizable pattern of stars that is not officially recognized as a constellation.
Open Star Cluster: A group of up to a few thousand stars that formed from the same giant molecular cloud and are loosely bound by gravity.
B-type Star: A spectral type of star characterized by high surface temperatures (10,000–30,000 K), blue-white color, and strong helium and hydrogen spectral lines.
Reflection Nebula: A nebula formed from interstellar dust that reflects the light of a nearby star or stars.