The Pleiades beyond myths

The Pleiades cluster (M45) beyond myths

     M45 is undoubtedly the most famous star cluster known since antiquity. Unlike other groups of stars, the Pleiades can be seen with the naked eye during winter nights. Their appearance, with bright nebulous light spots inside gives them a mysterious and a special beauty, which stands amid the other stars of the constellation Taurus. Under normal conditions of observation, on a dark night it is possible to see clearly at least seven of its brightest members, although with some attention more than ten can be spotted. Today, we know that this is an extremely rich cluster, with more than 1000 members confirmed. Charles Messier, French astronomer of the eighteenth century included them in his famous catalog of celestial objects as the object #45, hence the Pleiades are also known as M45.


Tragic and obsolete meanings

     No other star cluster has more mthological associations than the Pleiades, which has always held a special place in ancient cosmogonies by its prominent visibility. They grabbed the attention of virtually all ancient peoples, from the Maya to the Greeks. M45's mythological associations are very different from one culture to another, so there can hardly be a consensus of meaning at this level. However, the association of M45 with sorrow, tears and tragedy is particularly widespread among western astrologers today. There is nothing farther from reality, since, as discussed below, the study of astronomical nature demonstrates unequivocally that its true meaning is different. Quite often, mythological interpretation of  stars and other deep space objects is obsolete.

     In particular, the association of the Pleiades with mourning, death and suffering finds its roots on the Celtic culture, as they did rise on the celestial sphere at the time of the year when special rituals  dedicated to death were held. Probably, these rituals were similar to the current Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico or Halloween in the United States. However, it's been a long time since this is not happening anymore, but the tradition has been passed from mouth to mouth, then from book to book. This cultural meaning doesn't seem to fit the Pleiades anymore, as it is like a worn-out garment that is falling apart. This rags could not but offend their intrinsic beauty. Plus, it is not obvious how a star can be specifically associated with human tragedies unless it's through a psychological projection.


Star clusters: cosmic cities

    But, in order to understand their individual nature, we must focus on their true origin. First, what is a star cluster? A star cluster is a grouping of stars, but unlike others that are perceived to be in the same line of sight from Earth, the stars in a cluster are born all more or less simultaneously from the same cloud of hydrogen who provided the material for its formation. In other words, they all have the same mother, same age and begin their lives in the same place, like a good family or community, living in the same house or city...

     Star clusters can be globular, spherical and open, irregular. Globular clusters tend to be much more populous, with thousands or even millions of stars. They are often quite old (billions of years) and it is believed that most of them were formed at an early age of the universe. They consist mainly of old stars. Open clusters, in contrast, are families of young stars normally in their infancy, and belong to a more recent stellar population, their ages are usually only a few hundred million years, which in cosmic terms is just a sigh. This is the case of the Pleiades.


Young sprouts and strong energy

     Thus, open clusters symbolize new situations that have potential for future development. The age of the Pleiades has been estimated at 100 million years, which means they are just in their infancy. In terms of astrological interpretation, the Pleiades are like a pot in which the sprouts are just germinating.

     But, take this into account: M45's germination is abundant and comes with a lot of power. The most important members of this cluster are rotating at high speed, up to 300 kilometers per second on their surfaces ... This suggests an accelerated process, and any factor in the horoscope placed in contact with the Pleiades therefore tends to be strongly accelerated or intensified. The main indicator that lets us know the scope of these stars is the spectral type. In an open cluster, almost all the stars are usually the same temperature, and therefore, the same spectral type. The Pleiades are mostly of type B, i.e., a high temperature of about 20,000 degrees Kelvin. B-type stars symbolize wisdom, information, but also insights, visions, the intuitive mind and also a tendency to research. Despite their youth, the Pleiades are not superficial at all.


Knowledge, wisdom, depth

     In other words, the Pleiades stimulate superior knowledge and the penetrating qualities of the mind. Persons who have M45 prominently in their horoscopes tend to be intellectually active, with a deep assimilation capacity and a mind that combines of rationality and intuition. This feature can also be defined by the fact that many of its members, not visible to the naked eye, are the type of stars called white dwarfs. These stars have lost the surface layers of the atmosphere due to rapid rotation or close encounters with other stars of the same cluster or family. It's like taking off their clothes to expose their bare, open heart (or body). Hence, individuals with a strong influence of M45 tend to look beyond the surface to reveal mysteries, to get to the bottom of the situations, and to seek sincerity in relationships ...

     As if this were not enough, M45 is a cluster related to visionary capacities and introspection. The Pleiades appear in photographs wrapped in a blue haze (specially around the star Merope), which gives them a special beauty and mysterious appearance. It was thought before that, because of their youth, this nebulosity is part of their original mother nebula. But now we know that they are merely crossing a part of the galaxy where the density of the interstellar dust clouds is particularly strong. The nebula that surrounds them is a reflection nebula that passively reflects the light from the stars that surround it, illuminating the whole zone. Reflection nebulae have a similar effect to the Moon, their passivity is revealing and introspective. And with M45, it is also very beautiful.

     Therefore, the use of the mind with the Pleiades is not limited to a rational approach ... While M45 stimulates thought at its best, they reveal the depths of the unconscious, whether through a prophetic talent, a visionary tendency, a mechanism of revelation of the unconscious, artistic inspiration and magic ...  Of course, they can also express through a higher intellect, which in certain cases can border on stubbornness and arrogance if misdirected. But with so much abilities, beauty and talent, they can only inspire reverence and respect. We must accept their astrological influence as a divine gift. The dark meanings and associations of the Pleiades with fatalistic tragedy, tears, suffering and funerals are left behind, buried in the past of a tradition that could not discover their true nature.


                                                                            ***********

     The Pleiades' zodiacal position (tropical) currently is at 0° 06' Gemini, emphasizing their intellectual qualities and accelerated timing. People born around May 20th/21st, November 22nd/23rd, June 21st/22nd and December 22nd/23rd, have a special connection with M45. But any planet associated with this cluster in astrological charts will tend to express their qualities with intensity ... It's worth investigating the area of the horoscope where we have the Pleiades, as it represents a tool for awareness, research, vision and transcendence.



Carlos Duarte