It\u2019s designated as Eta (\u03b7) Tauri, a multiple star system that is a genuine member of the Pleiades cluster.<\/p>
The Pleiades<\/a> is about 100 million years old and is located 444 lightyears from Earth.<\/p> Discover more winter star clusters<\/a> and star clusters visible with the naked eye<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p> Alcyone is a hot, young star of spectral type B5IIIe. \u2018B5\u2019 gives its position within the Morgan- Keenan spectral classification system<\/a>, which classifies stars by temperature.<\/p> The \u2018III\u2019 means it\u2019s a normal giant-type star; the \u2018e\u2019 indicates that its spectrum has emission lines present.\u00a0<\/p> Alcyone is a little over 2,000 times more luminous than the Sun and 9.3 times as big. Its rotational velocity is high at around 149km\/s.<\/p> For comparison, the Sun rotates at 2km\/s. As a consequence, material has spun off Alcyone\u2019s equator into a light-emitting disc, the source of the emission lines indicated by \u2018e\u2019 in the star\u2019s spectral type.<\/p> The main star \u2013 Alcyone A \u2013 is a triple.<\/p> A low-mass companion orbits the primary star over a four-day period with a heavier companion, approximately half as massive as the primary, orbiting at a distance similar to that of Jupiter from the Sun.\u00a0<\/p> This system has three orbital companions.<\/p> Alcyone B and C are 8th magnitude, white A-type stars separated from Alcyone A by 117 and 181 arcseconds respectively.<\/p> Alcyone C is a Delta Scuti-type variable with a small brightness variation from mag. +8.25 to mag. +8.30 over a period of 73 minutes.<\/p> Alcyone D is a yellow-white, F-type, mag. +8.7 star located 191 arcseconds from Alcyone A.<\/p> The Pleiades is well-known for being a wonderfully blue star cluster easily visible with the naked eye and great for exploring with even a modest pair of binoculars.<\/p> Long exposure photographs of the Pleiades really bring out the blue swirls of nebulous material.<\/p> This is the result of the cluster stars passing through a cloud of fine dust in space.<\/p> To see this for yourself, read our guide on how to photograph the Pleiades<\/a>.<\/p> The light from the brighter stars reflects off this material \u2013 typically carbon compounds (eg, diamond dust) with iron and nickel.<\/p> The particles\u2019 size makes them particularly good at scattering blue light.<\/p> Another star worth seeking out in the Pleiades is Electra<\/a>, the furthest from the ‘handle’ of the star cluster’s saucepan shape.<\/p>Alcyone facts<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"star](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/alcyone-star.jpg\")
Alcyone the multiple star<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/02\/constellation-taurus-4706002.jpg\")
The Pleiades’ blue nebulosity<\/strong><\/h2>