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Seven SistersAlso known as the Seven Sisters, the star cluster M45—seen in a picture submitted May 7 to National Geographic's My Shot—contains more than 3,000 stars and is one of the brightest clusters known, according to NASA. At about 400 light-years away, M45 is also one of the closest star clusters to Earth.(See "Huge 'Structure' of Satellites Found Orbiting Milky Way.")
Photograph by Greg Parker, My Shot

Space Pictures This Week: Supermoon, Solar Flare, More

A supermoon looms, a solar flare erupts, and night-shining clouds glow in this week's best space pictures.

Published May 12, 2012