Taurus

Taurus, the Bull, is one of the oldest documented constellations, with cave paintings possibly depicting it dating back 17,000 years. Its brightest star, Aldebaran, is an orange giant that marks the bull's eye. Taurus contains two of the nearest open clusters — the Pleiades (M45) and the Hyades — as well as the Crab Nebula (M1), the remnant of the supernova of 1054 CE.

The Zodiac family comprises the 12 constellations that lie along the ecliptic — the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the course of a year. These are among the oldest recognized constellations, with origins in Babylonian astronomy dating back over 3,000 years. The ecliptic crosses each zodiac constellation at different widths, meaning the Sun spends varying amounts of time in each — from about 7 days in Scorpius to 45 days in Virgo.

Mythology & History

The zodiac constellations carry some of the richest mythological traditions in astronomy. Aries recalls the golden ram whose fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts. Gemini represents the twins Castor and Pollux, one mortal and one divine. Leo honors the Nemean Lion slain by Heracles as his first labor. The Babylonians originally used these constellations for agricultural timing, and their astrological associations developed later through Greek and Roman traditions. The modern astronomical boundaries were standardized by the IAU in 1930.

Observation Tips

Zodiac constellations are visible from both hemispheres since they straddle the celestial equator. Each is best observed when it reaches opposition (opposite the Sun in the sky), which occurs roughly six months from the dates when the Sun is in that constellation. The zodiac contains many spectacular deep sky objects: the Orion-adjacent Taurus hosts the Pleiades (M45) and Crab Nebula (M1), Virgo is home to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, and Sagittarius points toward our galaxy's center with its dense Milky Way star clouds.

HIP 26856HIP 26880HIP 26913HIP 26916HIP 26925HIP 26944HIP 26947HIP 26951HIP 26964HIP 26967HIP 26980HIP 27012HIP 27016HIP 27017HIP 27022HIP 27023HIP 27078HIP 27096HIP 27098HIP 27159HIP 27171HIP 27173HIP 27181HIP 27182HIP 27183HIP 27266HIP 27287HIP 27343HIP 27347HIP 27353HIP 27373HIP 27374HIP 27378HIP 27421HIP 27428HIP 27442HIP 27447HIP 27450HIP 27456HIP 27478HIP 27486HIP 27495HIP 27496HIP 27504HIP 27587HIP 27590HIP 27605HIP 27640

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Taurus constellation?
Taurus (Tau) is one of the 88 IAU-recognized constellations in the Northern hemisphere. Taurus, the Bull, is one of the oldest documented constellations, with cave paintings possibly depicting it dating back 17,000 years. Its brightest star, Aldebaran, is an orange giant that marks the b
How many stars are cataloged in Taurus?
StarFYI currently catalogs 2,281 stars in the constellation Taurus.
What is the brightest star in Taurus?
The brightest star in Taurus is Aldebaran.
How large is the Taurus constellation?
Taurus covers 797.25 square degrees of the sky.
What family does Taurus belong to?
Taurus belongs to the Zodiac Family of constellations.