Merope

Merope is a star within the Pleiades, an open cluster of young stars located in the constellation Taurus, approximately 440 light-years from our solar system. The Pleiades cluster contains over 1,000 stars, with six or seven visible to the naked eye.1

In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Merope is one of these mythological sisters, who, unlike her siblings, married a mortal, Sisyphus. In some myths, Merope is the faintest star in the Pleiades, perhaps due to shame over her mortal husband or grief over the destruction of Troy. The Pleiades cluster itself has been significant in various cultures, marking seasons and even being associated with the concept of a year in some South American traditions.21