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The Astronomy of the Pleiades
The Pleiades is an open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus, sitting roughly 440 light-years from Earth. Formed together from a giant cloud of gas and dust approximately 100 million years ago, the cluster consists of hot, luminous blue stars bound together by mutual gravity.
Although the cluster contains hundreds of stars in total, only a handful are bright enough to be distinguished easily with the naked eye under dark night skies.
Cultural Meaning and Corporate Origins
In the Japanese language, the word subaru translates to gathering together or getting united, and it has served as the traditional native name for the Pleiades star cluster for centuries. The name carries strong connotations of harmony and collective strength.
When Fuji Heavy Industries was created in the 1950s through the merger of six distinct companies, the executive leadership selected the name Subaru for its new automobile line. The brand name honored both the astronomical cluster and the physical joining of those six corporate entities into a unified whole.
Why the Logo Has Six Stars Instead of Seven
A common misconception is that the automotive logo is missing a star because Western culture frequently refers to the Pleiades as the Seven Sisters. However, in traditional Japanese sky-watching, the constellation is commonly associated with six visible main stars.
The official logo intentionally depicts six stars: one large star representing the parent holding company, accompanied by five smaller stars representing the merged subsidiaries that joined together to create the brand.
Quick facts
- The word Subaru is a native Japanese term meaning to gather together or unite.
- The Pleiades star cluster sits approximately 440 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Taurus.
- Subaru adopted its iconic star emblem to commemorate the merger of six companies in the 1950s.
- Stars in the Pleiades cluster are relatively young, having formed around 100 million years ago.
Frequently asked questions
In Japanese, Subaru means to gather together or unite, and it is also the traditional name for the Pleiades star cluster.
The six stars symbolize the six companies that merged to form the brand's parent corporation, which also aligns with traditional Japanese views of the cluster.
The Pleiades cluster is located roughly 440 light-years away from Earth.
