Pleiades cluster and California nebula shine in stunning celestial photo

The Pleiades star cluster, one of the brightest clusters in the night sky, is also known as the "Seven Sisters Cluster." According to Greek mythology, the name comes from a legend that Zeus sent the seven daughters of Atlas to the sky to protect them, which became seven shining stars in the cluster. The Pleiades star cluster is narrow, with a width of 13 light-years (1 light-year is the distance light travels in a year, about 9.46 trillion kilometers), but within it, there are about 3,000 stars. In the photograph, it shines with a blue light on the right. The red nebula on the left, which appears to oppose the Pleiades cluster, is the "California Nebula." This nebula, also known as NGC1499, resembles the state of California in the United States. It is relatively dim and difficult to observe compared to the Pleiades.