Hyades
Dados do Objeto
- Designação do Catálogo
- C41
- Tipo
- OpenCluster
- Constelação
- Taurus
- Magnitude
- 0.5
- Ascensão Reta
- 04h 28m 00.0s
- Declinação
- +16° 00' 00.0"
- Distância
- 151 anos-luz
- Tamanho Angular
- 330
Imagem de Levantamento
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Sobre Hyades
Descrição
The Hyades is the nearest open cluster to Earth at just 153 light-years away, located in Taurus. It spans over 5 degrees (10 full Moons) and contains several hundred stars, with the brightest forming a distinctive V-shape that marks the face of Taurus the Bull.
Dicas de Observação
Best seen with the naked eye or binoculars — far too large for telescopes. The V-shaped asterism of bright stars is unmistakable. Note the orange giant stars Theta-1 and Theta-2 Tauri at the center of the V. Aldebaran appears nearby but is a foreground star. Best in winter.
História
Known since antiquity and mentioned in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The Hyades were one of the first clusters used to calibrate the cosmic distance ladder via the convergent point method, establishing fundamental distance measurements in astronomy.
Curiosidades
The bright star Aldebaran is NOT a member of the Hyades — it is only 65 light-years away, less than half the cluster's distance. The Hyades and the Pleiades (M45) share a similar age and motion, and may have formed from the same giant molecular cloud.
Fotos da Comunidade (1)
Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026