My official
name, Krittika Tanprasert, is Thai name with the combination
of Sansakrit and Chinese. "Krittika" and "Prasert"
(the last part of my last name) are based on Sansakrit. "Tan",
the first part of my last name, is from my chinese last name
in Hokian or Chuen in Mandarin.  .
Kritika means "the
Pleiades". They are a young hot open cluster of stars
that are easily seen in country skies.
(Photograph
of Pleiades Courtesy of Anglo-Australian
Observatory)
In the city this cluster
is visible to the naked eye depending on the amount of light
pollution and the location of the city. It is a superb object
in binoculars and a telescope brings out many other members
of this group. It is visible from both the southern and the
northern hemispheres. The cluster is traditionally named after
a mythological group of nymphs, who were the daughters of
Atlas (one of the "Titans") and Pleione. Approximately 250
stars belong to this cluster which is estimated to be at a
distance of 378 light years away, according to recent Hipparcos
satellite data. The cluster formed approximately 50-60 million
years ago, so in astronomical terms the stars are actually
quite young.
The cluster is often referred
to as the "Seven Sisters," taken from Greek Mythology the
daughters of Atlas and Pleione. However worldwide this cluster
of stars (known to keen astronomers as M45) has captured the
imagination of many modern and ancient cultures. Below is
a selection of the different names given to this cluster from
across the globe. (Information about Pleides
are from Starlore
web site - Thank you very much)
- Krittika: India (Hindu) - six sisters
or six nurses
- Mangga Manggaridi: Australia (Narangga
Group) - maids, women
- Shichifukujin: Japan - seven happy
gods
- Tayamni pa: North America (Lakota)
- the Animal's head
- Turanya: Arabia (Southern region)
- a herd of camels
- Makara (Artunyi): Australia (Adnyamathanha)
- a group of women who are the wives of stars in the Orion
constellation.
- Aften Hoehne : Denmark - the evening
hen
- Kungkarungkara: Australia (Pitjantjatjara
& Yankunytjatjara) - ancestral women
- Khuseti : Southern Africa (Khoikhoi)
- the stars of rain
- Togo Ni Samu : Solomon Islands -
a group of maidens
- Hoki Boshi : Japan - dabs of paint
on the sky (brush stars)
- Tz'ab: Central America (Maya Indians)
- a rattlesnake's tail
- het Zevengesternte: Netherlands -
the Seven Stars
- Matariki: New Zealand - little eyes
- Gambu Gambu: Australia (Muruwari)
- shy young women
- Kuratka: Czech Republic - many small
young chickens
- Subaru: Japan - united (getting together)
- Mankamankarranna: Australia (Kaurna
Aboriginal group) - girls gathering roots and other vegetables.
- Nasedha: Russia - the sitting hen
- Fiastyuk: Hungary - mother hen with
babies
In Thai, we call it as
"dao-luke-kai" meaning the baby chicken star.
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