During the evening of 29 April 2022, Mercury occupied the same field as the Pleiades star cluster. Yesterday morning, two months later, the Moon and Venus took their turn with the Seven Sisters asterism.
Pleiades, Moon, and Venus-25 June 2022
This photo was captured at 5:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time (1100 UT). This was 59 minutes before local sunrise. I almost always find mindfulness in the beauty of the Pleiades. BTW This apparition of Venus has been has been one of the best in memory since transitioning to the morning sky last January.
The Pleiades-25 June 2022
The Pleiades is often referred to as a jewel case. I risk the cliché because I find no better description. The stars appear sprinkled in front of the clouds in spite of the light-years separating them from our Earth. The geometry of the June solstice makes possible the sunlight on the clouds a full hour before local sunrise.
Best regards,
Michael DeCaria
Hosting often overlooked wonders with photography and writing
One of my earliest astronomy-related memories is you showing me the Pleiades when I was young, and it has always been one of my favorite viewing objects. It is fitting that I now drive a Subaru, and get to see the Pleiades emblem whenever I drive. Thank you for the pictures.