χ Tauri (chi Tauri)

χ Tauri is a multiple main-sequence star in the constellation of Taurus.

χ Tauri visual magnitude is 5.37. Because of its reltive faintness, χ Tauri should be visible only from locations with dark skyes, while it is not visible at all from skyes affected by light pollution.

The table below summarizes the key facts about χ Tauri:

Color of χ Tauri ⬤

Magnitude of χ Tauri 5.37

Class Main-sequence

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW χ Tauri (chi Tauri) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt. Altitude: 64°.

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of χ Tauri

χ Tauri is situated north of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of χ Tauri are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 04h 22m 34s

Declination J2000 +25° 37’ 45”

Galactic Longitude 171.51°

Galactic Latitude -16.74°

Constellation Taurus

The simplified sky map below shows the position of χ Tauri in the sky:

Simplified finder chart for χ Tauri (chi Tauri).

Visibility of χ Tauri from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's χ Tauri (chi Tauri) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 64.4° RISE 4:26

Max altitude: 64.1° TRANSIT 12:51

Azimuth: 295.6° SET 21:17

RIGHT NOW χ Tauri (chi Tauri) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of χ Tauri

The image below is a photograph of χ Tauri from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of χ Tauri is 0.017 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.023 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of χ Tauri. The red arrow shows the motion of χ Tauri during the next 10000 years (2.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and -3.83 arcmin in declination);

Distance of χ Tauri from the Sun and relative movement

χ Tauri is distant 267.43 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 17 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 82.03 pc

Distance (light year) 267.43 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 17 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.017 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.023 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of χ Tauri

χ Tauri belongs to spectral class B9 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.

Absolute magnitude 0.80

Spectral Type B9V

Color Index (B-V) -0.05

Temperature of χ Tauri 10795K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where χ Tauri is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of χ Tauri. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

χ Tauri star system properties

χ Tauri is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of small or medium telescopes. The table below shows key information about the χ Tauri double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 5.37

Secondary star magnitude 8.37

Magnitude difference 3

Separation 19.4 arcsec

Alternative designations of χ Tauri

Bayer designation χ Tauri
(chi Tauri)

Flamsteed designation 59 Tauri

Henry Draper Catalogue HD27638

SAO Catalogue SAO76573

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP20430

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+25 707

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS3161

In Evidence

Other stars in Taurus