The Seven Sisters (Pleiades) Seen from the Southern Hemisphere

A breathtaking view of the Pleiades star cluster, famously known as the Seven Sisters, has graced us from the Southern Hemisphere. This image, a testament to the beauty of our night sky, showcases the cluster in all its glory.

This incredible capture is the result of dedication and skilled astrophotography. Taken under skies with a Bortle rating between 7 and 9, the image was made possible with a 130mm f5 telescope and a modified Canon t2i camera. The photographer captured 65 light frames and 18 dark frames, each with an exposure of four seconds at ISO 800.

The processing involved stacking the images using Siril, followed by a final touch-up in Adobe Lightroom to enhance the details and bring out the rich colors of the nebula.

The Pleiades, also recognized as Subaru in Japanese and Matariki in Māori culture, is a truly spectacular sight. For many, it's a familiar constellation, visible on clear evenings even without advanced equipment. The sheer scale of these celestial bodies is often difficult to comprehend, making images like this all the more awe-inspiring, as they help us perceive the unfathomable vastness of space.