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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.