Barefoot Times

The Pleiades

The Pleiades or Seven Sisters, which features prominently in the earlier parts of Barefoot Times, is in the constellation Taurus and about 400 light years from Earth. Typically only six stars are visible to the naked eye, but a pair of binoculars reveals them to be just the brightest members of a much greater cluster. It can best be seen in the evening in December and January.

This photo and the illustration on the front cover of the book are southern hemisphere views - readers in the northern hemisphere will need to stand on their heads while looking at it!