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Hyades
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Hyades

astronomy
Also known as: Taurus moving cluster, Taurus stream
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History

Hyades, cluster of several hundred stars in the zodiacal constellation Taurus. As seen from Earth, the bright star Aldebaran appears to be a member of the cluster, but in fact Aldebaran is much closer to the Earth than the Hyades’ distance of about 150 light-years. Five genuine members of the group are visible to the unaided eye. Their name (Greek: “the rainy ones”) is derived from the ancient association of spring rain with the season of their heliacal (near dawn) rising.