Mythology in the Skies Above: The Tale of the Pleiades
By Avani Sharan
Team Cosmofluencer
Pleaides is one of the most easily recognisable and enchanting star clusters in the night sky. It is also known as the Messier 45 (M45) from the objects in Messier catalogue. On a clear night, this star cluster can be easily spotted by naked eye even though it is about 440 light-years away from Earth.
In this blog, we shall delve into the fascinating mythology surrounding the Pleiades and explore some intriguing scientific facts about this celestial wonder which has captivated human imagination for over a millennia.
Pleiades: The Celestia Marvel
The Pleiades is an asterism (pattern of stars that are not contellation) of an open star cluster and houses over 1000 stars, though only the brightest seven can be seen distinctly with the naked eye.
These are young, hot, blue stars formed around 100 million years ago. The cluster is enveloped in a blue reflection nebula, created by the interstellar dust scattering the light from the stars.
It is located in the constellation Taurus, and can be easily found using the neighbouring constellations of Orion and Perseus. Best viewed in the night skies of late fall and of winter months, the Pleiades have served as a key navigation aid and a marker of seasonal changes for ancient cultures.
Myths and Legends of the Pleiades
Greek Mythology: The Seven Sisters and Orion
The Pleiades get their name from plein (πλεῖν meaning ‘to sail’) because of the cluster’s importance in delimiting the sailing season in the Mediterranean Sea: “the season of navigation began with their heliacal rising”.
In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were believed to be the seven daughters of Atlas, a Titan punished by Zeus to hold the sky up, and Pleione, an Oceanid nymph. The daughters’ names are: Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, and Merope – also known as the Nymphs.
According to legend, the sisters were relentlessly pursued by the giant hunter Orion. To protect them and give relief to Atlas, Zeus transformed them into stars and placed them in the heavens above.
Yet later, Orion himself was also placed among the stars, continuing his pursuit for the seven sisters across the heavens.
One of the sisters, Merope, is said to shine dimly because she married a mortal man, while the others shine brightly as they wed gods.
Australian Aboriginal Mythology: The Seven Sisters and the Pursuer
Many Aboriginal Australian groups tell versions of a Seven Sisters story, where a group of women are pursued by a man across the middle of the Australian continent from west to east, sometimes this man is a forbidden lover or a trickster figure.
To escape him, the sisters ascend into the sky, forming the Pleiades.
In other versions, the bright Orion (often called Nyiru or Wati-Nyiru) represents their pursuer, forever chasing them across the sky, similar to the Greek Orion myth.
For the Yamatji people of the Wajarri language group in Western Australia’s Murchison region, the Pleiades are known as Nyarluwarri. When this constellation appears near the horizon at sunset, it signals the optimal time for harvesting emu eggs.
Additionally, the Yamatji use the brightness of these stars to forecast seasonal rainfall, highlighting their deep connection with the natural environment and the celestial bodies that guide their traditional practices.
Japanese Mythology: Subaru – A Symbol of Unity
In Japan, the Pleiades are called Subaru, meaning “to unite” or “gather together.” This name has become famous worldwide as it inspired the Subaru car brand, whose logo features six stars representing the cluster.
The Subaru Telescope, located in Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii, is also named after the Pleiades. Japanese sailors historically used the Pleiades for navigation, and the cluster was associated with agriculture and planting cycles.
Indian Mythology: The Krittika
In Indian mythology, the Pleiades are known as the Krittika (the third of the 27 nakṣatras) which in Sanskrit is translated as “the cutters”.
The Pleiades, called ‘the star of fire’, symbolizes a group of six sisters who were the wives of the seven sages, or Saptarshis, represented by the stars of the Ursa Major constellation. Their story is intertwined with the myth of Agni, the god of fire, who fell in love with them.
Only one of the sisters, Arundhati (star Alcor in Ursa Major), remained faithful to her husband, Vasistha (star Mizar), and they are celebrated as a symbol of marital virtue.
Pleiades is also the name of its goddess-personification, who is a daughter of Daksha and Panchajani. The Krittika nakṣatra, in some stories are also associated with the Sapta Matrikas, or the Seven Mothers, who embody powerful feminine energy and are revered for their roles in Hindu mythology.
In Vedic astronomy, the Pleiades are linked to Kartikeya, with their celestial position often depicted as the spear used by Kartikeya to slay the buffalo-demon Mahisha, hence the constellation of Taurus. The six Krittikas who raised the Hindu God Kartikeya are Śiva, Sambhūti, Prīti, Sannati, Anasūya and Kṣamā.
Connection Across the Lands
The striking appearance of the Pleiades has made them a natural focal point for storytelling. Their yearly reappearance also marks seasonal changes vital for agriculture, navigation, and survival. The myths of the Pleiades reflect our universal desire to explain the unknown, find patterns in the cosmos, and connect our earthly lives to the heavens.
The Pleiades are more than just a beautiful star cluster as they bring together humanity’s past and present. Whether seen as a family of sisters, lost children, or a guiding light for farmers and sailors, their presence in the sky has been a source of guidance and wonder for millennia. The different cultures’ myths continue to live on, just as the stars themselves will shine for millions of years to come.