but do you know where the seven sister name come from?
the Seven Sisters also called Doves (in Greek, "Pleiades" means "Doves") is the most famous open star cluster in the sky and has been honored since ancient times.
Greek legend tells that the Sisters were the daughters of the Titan, Atlas (who carried the heavens on his shoulders), and his first wife Pleione, the sea nymph, also known as the "Sailing Queen." The Pleiades were also the former virgin companions of Artemis. The Sisters called upon Zeus for assistance after they had been pursued for seven years through the Boeotian countryside by Orion the Hunter, who had less than honorable intentions. When the benevolent God heard the cries, he transformed the seven into doves and placed them within the heavens. Later, when Orion was killed, the Hunter was placed in the sky behind the Pleiades to immortalize the legendary chase. Zeus positioned Taurus between Orion and the Seven Sisters, where the Hunter engages in perpetual combat with the Bull as they journey through the night.
According to a Native American myth, the Pleides were seven youngsters who, on a walk through the sky, lost their way and never made it home. They remain in the heavens, staying close together. The seventh of the Sisters is difficult to see because she truly wants to return to Earth and her tears dim her luster. The Ancient Greeks explained this apparent absence of a seventh star with several varying fables, the most popular of which was that one of the Pleiades (Merope) deserted her sisters because she was ashamed of having taken a mortal husband.
On a reasonably dark night, it should be relatively easy to spot at least six of the stars which make up the Pleiades with the naked eye. If conditions are favorable, it may be possible to see as many as nine. Containing a total of more than 500 stars, the Pleiades is approximately 410 light years away and covers an area which is four times the size of the full Moon. Alcyone is the brightest star in the Pleiades cluster, being approximately 1000 times brighter than the Sun...and ten times larger. Among many ancient civilizations, the Pleiades were associated with agriculture because the stars appeared on the horizon around harvest time and Greek superstition cautioned sailors to set sail only during the months when the Pleiades were visible.
Alcyone: Sometimes referred to as Halcyone, this Sister was seduced by Poseidon and gave birth to Hyrieus,
the name of Orion's father...but who may or may not be the same Hyrieus.
Alcyone is also known as the "Central One," the "Hen" and the "Queen Who Wards Off Evil Storms."
Asterope: Sometimes referred to as Sterope, one legend tells that this Sister was ravished by Ares and
gave birth to Oenomaus, King of Pisa. Other legends state that she was instead the wife of
Oenomaus and may have been the mother of the beautiful Hippodaima in addition to bearing
three sons, Leucippus, Hippodamus and Dysponteus, Founder of Dyspontium.
At one time, this Sister may have been known as "Asterie of the Starry Sky,"
a title which has been linked to the Creatrix of the Universe.
Celeno: Sometimes also referred to as Celaeno, this Sister was seduced by Poseidon
and is credited with being the mother of Lycus (the "Wolf") and
Chimaerus (the "He-Goat"), courtesy of a liaison with Prometheus.
Her name means "swarthy" and, according to some sources,
she is believed to have been struck by lightning.
Electra: Sometimes also referred to as Eleckra, this Sister was the wife of Corythus.
She was seduced by Zeus and gave birth to Dardanus, Founder of Troy.
Electra may have also been the mother of the Harpies...foul bird-women who lived in a
Cretan cave and harried criminals. However, it is possible that the Electra who gave
birth to the Harpies was an entirely different Ocean Nymph who simply bore the same name.
The name Electra means "amber" and/or "shining" and/or "bright"
and may be the origin of the modern term "electricity."
Maia: The eldest and most beautiful of the Sisters, Maia was a Mountain Nymph who resided in Arcadia.
Seduced by Zeus, she gave birth to the Messenger God, Hermes, and later became foster-mother
to Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto, during the period Callisto was in the guise of a bear.
Maia is also sometimes referred to as "Mother," "Grandmother," "Nurse" and/or "The Great One."
Merope: Often referred to as "The Missing One" or "Lost Pleiades," Merope was the seventh of
the Sisters and (according to one fable) the wife of Sisyphus, grandson of Deucalion
(the Greek Noah) and great-grandson of Prometheus. Sisyphus founded the City of Ephyre,
also known as Corinth, but was later condemned by Zeus to eternally roll a huge stone up
a hill in Hades, only to have it roll back down each time the task was almost completed.
Legend tells that Merope repents of this marital indiscretion and hides her face in shame
at being the only one of the Sisters who failed to cohabitate with a God.
Her name may have originally meant either "eloquent," "bee-eater" or "mortal."
Taygete: Sometimes referred to Taygeta, this Sister consecrated to Artemis the Cerynitian Hind
with the golden horns that Heracles (during his Third Labor) had to fetch.
Seduced by Zeus, she gave birth to Lacedemon, the Founder of Sparta, to which City
she was thus an important Goddess. In some versions of this myth, Taygete was unwilling
to yield to Zeus and was changed by Artemis into a hind (female red deer).
Although Taygete attempted to elude the mighty God in this guise, he eventually caught
her and, upon the birth of Lacedemon, she hanged herself. She may also have been the
mother of Tantalus, who was tormented in Hades with thirst and hunger for offending the
Gods...but there is a great deal of mythological uncertainty surrounding the parentage
of Tantalus. The name Taygete possibly means "long-necked."
so now you know....
for more information log on to www.google.com. greek, the history of seven sister.
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