These beautiful stars are the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas and Pleione, represented by the two bright stars on the left of the image. Their names are Maia, Electra, Taygeta, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope and Merope; in Greek mythology all the Pleiades except Merope consorted with gods. Their delicate beauty as seen with the unaided eye gives rise to legends involving groups of women in many cultures around the world.

The Pleiades are moving together through space and are 400 light years distant in the constellation of Taurus. As befits their their femininity, modern photographs show the stars to be appropriately veiled in a delicate veil of dust which reflects their light. This photograph was derived from a plate taken in blue light on the UK Schmidt Telescope.