Taurus (The Bull) Constellation
Taurus (pronounced ˈtɔːrəs) is the Latin name of a large constellation (in fact it extends itself for about 45 degrees across the sky) situated close to the celestial equator. As such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The Bull" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "Tau" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "Taur" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Tauri" (pronounced ˈtɔːraɪ) and it is used to identify some of the brightest stars in this constellation based on the Bayer or Flamsteed star naming convention. For instance: α Tauri (the brightest star of Taurus based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Tauri (the 23th star in the constellation of Taurus based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Taurus Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Taurus constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Taurus in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Taurus Constellation
Location: Greenwich, UK
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Taurus rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, UK are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
The rise and set times provided here are just directional indications and they refer to a point approximately placed at the center of the constellation. In case of very large constellations (like Taurus actually is) these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Taurus Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Taurus constellation. See also the complete list of 222 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Taurus. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR1457 | α Tauri | Aldebaran | 0.85 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR1791 | β Tauri | Elnath | 1.65 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR1165 | η Tauri | Alcyone | 2.87 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
|
HR1910 | ζ Tauri | Tianguan | 3 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR1412 | θ2 Tauri | Chamukuy | 3.4 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR1239 | λ Tauri | 3.47 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR1409 | ε Tauri | Ain | 3.53 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR1030 | ο Tauri | 3.6 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR1178 | 27 Tauri | Atlas | 3.63 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR1346 | γ Tauri | Prima Hyadum | 3.65 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR1142 | 17 Tauri | Electra | 3.7 | ⬤ | |
|
HR1038 | ξ Tauri | 3.74 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1373 | δ1 Tauri | Secunda Hyadum | 3.76 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR1411 | θ1 Tauri | 3.84 | ⬤ | Multiple; | |
|
HR1149 | 20 Tauri | Maia | 3.87 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR1251 | ν Tauri | 3.91 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1066 | 5 Tauri | 4.11 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1156 | 23 Tauri | Merope | 4.18 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR1387 | κ1 Tauri | 4.22 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR1458 | 88 Tauri | 4.25 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; | |
| ...go to the complete list of 222 bright stars in the constellation of Taurus | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Taurus Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Taurus constellation. See also the complete list of 86 deep sky objects in the constellation of Taurus. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
