What is the 7th star in Subaru?
In brief, the 7th star would be Merope, the faint member of the Pleiades. Subaru’s emblem shows six stars, omitting the seventh.
Context: the Pleiades and the Seven Sisters
The Pleiades star cluster is commonly known as the Seven Sisters in myth and astronomy. In astronomy, seven stars are traditionally identified as the main members of the cluster, though only six shine brightly to the naked eye under typical conditions. Here are the stars most often listed as the Seven Sisters in modern references:
- Maia
- Electra
- Alcyone
- Taygeta
- Celaeno
- Sterope (Asterope)
- Merope
In celestial terms, Merope is the faintest of the seven and is sometimes hard to see without optical aid. Because of this faintness, representations of the cluster, including branding and logos, often depict only six stars.
Subaru's logo and the seven-star question
Subaru’s emblem is widely understood to reference the Pleiades cluster while also reflecting the company’s corporate history. The six-star design is said to symbolize the six former manufacturers that merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries, the predecessor of Subaru Corporation. At the same time, the logo evokes the recognizable pattern of the Pleiades, albeit with six stars rather than the full seven.
The six-star emblem and branding meanings
Before the list or explanation in branding materials, it is important to note that the six stars in the Subaru logo serve a dual purpose: they nod to the Pleiades cluster and symbolize the six constituent companies that consolidated to create the modern firm. This dual symbolism helps explain why the logo omits the seventh star even though the cluster is traditionally described as having seven stars.
The missing seventh star: Merope
The seventh star that is not depicted in Subaru’s logo is Merope, the faint star of the Pleiades. Its omission is a design choice that emphasizes a clean, stylized cluster rather than a literal, full seven-star map. In astronomy, Merope remains a legitimate member of the Seven Sisters and is often the star most difficult to observe with unaided vision.
Summary
The seven-star reference associated with the Pleiades points to Merope, the faint seventh star. Subaru’s emblem uses six stars, balancing branding with a nod to the cluster while aligning with the company’s historical formation from six entities. Thus, the 7th star in Subaru, in astronomical terms, is Merope, but it is not shown in the logo.
