Messier 45 (M45), widely known as "The Pleiades," "The Seven Sisters," or "Subaru," is a bright open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus. The Pleiades cluster contains over 1,000 stars, including several hot blue giants visible to the naked eye. With a diameter of about 17.5 light-years, it lies approximately 444 light-years from Earth. M45 is considered relatively young at around 100 million years old. The cluster's most prominent stars form a distinctive, small "dipper" shape in the sky and have been recorded in cultures and mythology around the world for thousands of years.