Taurus Constellation
Taurus constellation is a Northern constellation located
between Aries the Ram and Gemini the Twins, Taurus is also bordered by Cetus
the Whale (or Sea Monster), Eridanus the River, Orion the Hunter, Auriga the
Charioteer and Persus the Hero.It lies just North of the celestial equator (the
imaginary line formed by the projection of the Earth's equator into space).
Taurus constellation
is visible from both the Northern hemisphere (during the Winter and early
Spring) and the Southern hemisphere (from November through February).
Taurus
first appears in the East in September, reaches its greatest height in late
December and then drops below the Western horizon in March. Therefore, it is
best observed during the early Wintertime.
Brief History of
Taurus Constellation
In Babylonian astronomy, Taurus
constellation was listed as GU4.AN.NA, "The Heavenly
Bull". As this constellation marked the vernal equinox, it was also the
first constellation in the Babylonian zodiac and they described it as "The
Bull in Front.The Akkadian name was In Shũr. The same iconic
representation of the Heavenly Bull was depicted in the Dendera zodiac, an Egyptian
bas-relief carving in a ceiling that depicted the celestial hemisphere using a planisphere.
In these ancient
cultures, the orientation of the horns was portrayed as upward or backward.
This differed from the later Greek depiction where the horns pointed forward.
To the Egyptians, Taurus the bull constellation was a sacred bull that was
associated with the renewal of life in spring. About 4,000 years ago, the
spring equinox entered Taurus.
The constellation would become covered by the
Sun in the western sky as spring began. This 'sacrifice' led to the renewal of
the land.
Stars of Taurus Constellation
Only the forequarters of the bull are visible in the group
of stars which compose Taurus the bull constellation...a depiction of the
animal emerging from the waves. The constellations of Cetus (the Whale or Sea
Monster) and Aries (the Ram) cover the hindquarters of the bull, which are
considered submerged.
The brightest star in the constellation of Taurus is
Aldebaran (also known as Alpha Tau). An orange-red giant which is the
thirteenth brightest star in the heavens, it was one of the four Royal Stars of
the Ancient Persians. Aldebaran appears to lie among the Hyades (with which it
was once categorized) but is actually much closer to the Earth than that
cluster, being about 68 light years away. In Arabic, Aldebaran means "the
follower" (of the Pleiades) and it marks the "ruddy eye" of the
bull. Two other visible stars, Zeta Tau and Beta Tau denote the bull's horns,
with Beta Tau (also known as El Nath) thought to be the "pushing"
horn.
The Crab Nebula, about 5,000 light years away from Earth,
marks the site of a supernova which occurred on or about July 4, 1054 A.D.
According to the records of Chinese astronomers, the explosion was so bright
that it could be observed even during daylight hours for 23 days...and 635 days
to the naked eye in the night sky.
Mythology of Taurus Constellation
The Hyades and Pleiades played major
roles in Taurus Constellation..
Pleiades are best known as the Seven Sisters or Doves (in Greek,
"Pleiades" means "Doves"). Greek legend tells that the
Sisters were the daughters of the Titan, Atlas (who carried the heavens on his
shoulders), and his first wife Pleione, the sea nymph, also known as the
"Sailing Queen." The Pleiades were also the former virgin companions
of Artemis. The Sisters called upon Zeus for assistance after they had been
pursued for seven years through the Boeotian countryside by Orion the Hunter,
who had less than honorable intentions. When the benevolent God heard the
cries, he transformed the seven into doves and placed them within the heavens.
Along with the Pleiades, the Greeks also credited the
Hyades with being the daughters of Atlas (by his wife, Aethra the Oceanid). The
Hyades were placed into the heavens by Zeus because of the protection they once
afforded the God's infant son, Dionysus, upon the death of Semele, the baby's
mother... and also in pity for their grief at the loss of their beloved
brother.
