The Pleiades' closeness to Earth, at a distance of about 440 light-years, combined with its brilliance, has made it a central feature in the skywatching traditions of many cultures.

Stargazers in the U.S. can see Venus rising around 3 a.m. local time, with the Pleiades star cluster visible as a smudge of light under dark sky conditions less than 7 degrees to Venus' upper left ...