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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Tau |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Bull |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | TOR-us |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | TOR-eye |
| Best Month | January |
| Visibility | Global |
| Origin | AncientThese figures are rooted in the classical Greek and Mesopotamian traditions cataloged by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. |
| Author | PtolemyPtolemy, a 2nd-century Greco-Egyptian astronomer, cataloged the 48 classical constellations in his landmark work, the Almagest. These form the core of the 88 modern constellations recognized today. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Easiest |
| Description | The Bull charges across the winter sky in one of the oldest and most richly storied constellations, recognized as a bull in Mesopotamia at least 6,000 years ago. In Greek myth it represents Zeus in the form of a magnificent white bull that seduced the Phoenician princess Europa and carried her across the sea to Crete. The constellation contains two of the most celebrated star clusters in the sky — the Pleiades (M45), the famous Seven Sisters visible to the naked eye, and the Hyades, the nearest open star cluster to Earth at 153 light-years. The brilliant orange star Aldebaran — 'the follower' in Arabic, as it follows the Pleiades — is the eye of the bull, a red giant 65 light-years away and 44 times the diameter of the Sun. |
| Asterism | The V-shape: The face of the bull, anchored by the bright orange star Aldebaran. |
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Monthly sky charts courtesy of What's Out Tonight? — Copyright ©2026 Ken Graun. Star charts are optimized for mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Click a chart to view or download the PDF. For guidance on using the chart, or to purchase a planisphere and astronomy books, visit kenpress.com.
Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →
