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Taurus (constellation)
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| List of stars in Taurus | |
| Abbreviation: | Tau |
| Genitive: | Tauri |
| Symbolism: | the Bull |
| Right ascension: | 4 h |
| Declination: | 2° |
| Area: | 797 sq. deg. |
| Main stars: | 7 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars: |
130 |
| Stars with known planets: |
3 |
| Bright stars: | 4 |
| Nearby stars: | 2 |
| Brightest star: | Aldebaran (α Tau) (0.9m) |
| Nearest star: | 10 Tau (44.7 ly) |
| Messier objects: | 2 |
| Meteor showers: | Taurids Beta Taurids |
| Bordering constellations: |
Auriga Perseus Aries Cetus Eridanus Orion Gemini |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −65° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of January |
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Taurus (pronounced /ˈtɔrəs/, Latin: 'bull', symbol 
, Unicode ♉) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It sits large and prominent in the Northern Hemisphere winter sky, between Aries to the west and Gemini to the east; to the north lie Perseus and Auriga, to the southeast Orion, to the south Eridanus, and to the southwest Cetus.
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[edit] Etymology
Both the Latin word taurus and the Ancient Greek word tauros, meaning "bull", derive from the Proto-Indo-European noun *táwros, also meaning "bull", itself in turn probably a borrowing from Proto-Semitic noun *θawr-, meaning "ox, bull". Version of Proto-Indo-European noun with the initial s-mobile was *stawros, the ancestor of the English words steer, steed, and stud.[1]
[edit] Notable deep sky objects
Behind Aldebaran lie the Hyades, the nearest distinct open star cluster, that with it form a V, or an A, in the sky marking the bull's head.
In the west of the constellation lie the Pleiades, one of the best known open clusters, easily visible to the eye.
Another object, visible in a telescope, is the Crab Nebula (M1), a supernova remnant northwest of ζ Tauri. The explosion, seen on Earth on July 4, 1054, was bright enough to be seen by day. It is mentioned in Chinese history texts.
[edit] Mythology for the term Taurus
The identification of the constellation of Taurus as a bull is very old, and likely prehistoric. Large prehistoric images of bulls are found throughout Southwest France and Spain, joining prehistoric European sculptures of bulls rendered in stone, clay and bone. Michael Rappenglück of the University of Munich believes that Taurus is represented in the Hall of the Bulls in the caves at Lascaux, which he believes is accompanied by a depiction of the Pleiades,[2] though his ideas have not been widely accepted. The paintings date to approximately 15,000–13,000 BCE.[3].
Shũr was the name used in ancient Babylon for Taurus.[4] In Greek mythology, Zeus assumes the form of a magnificent white bull to abduct Europa, a legendary Phoenician princess, and thus, fathers Minos. The tale informs the names of constellations since it is necessary to traverse the area of sky known as the Sea to reach it. When passing through the Zodiac, it forms the origin of the myth of the Cretan Bull, one of The Twelve Labors of Heracles.
Minos inspires the name given to the ancient Aegean civilization of Crete. Minoan culture predates the rise of ancient civilizations on the Greek mainland. We can trace the ubiquitous image of the bull in Minoan culture to the Ancient Near Eastern world whose courts, tombs and temples are filled with images that tie their power to that of the bull.
[edit] Astrology
As of 2002[update], the Sun appears in the constellation Taurus from May 14 to June 19. In tropical astrology, the Sun is considered to be in the sign Taurus from April 21 to May 21, and in sidereal astrology, from May 16 to June 15.
[edit] Citations
- ^ "Indo-European Roots," in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996.
- ^ Institute for Interdisciplinary Science
- ^ BBC News | Ice Age star map discovered
- ^ Allen, Richard Hinckley, "STAR NAMES Their Lore and Meaning", pg 382, Dover Publications, 1899 (1963) ISBN 0-486-21079-0
[edit] References
- Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.
[edit] External links
- The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Taurus
- BBC article on the possibility of Taurus being represented in Lascaux
- Star Tales – Taurus
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Taurus |
| Astronomy | Constellations of the Zodiac | ||||||||||||
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| Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpius | Ophiuchus | Sagittarius | Capricornus | Aquarius | Pisces |
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| Astrology | Signs of the Zodiac | ||||||||||||
| Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces | |
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Astrologers believe that the planet Venus, named for the ancient goddess of love and beauty, rules Taurus