Tau · Tauri
Taurus Constellation
IAU constellation mapTauTaurus (Tau) is one of the 88 constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union. It covers 797 square degrees of the northern sky in quadrant NQ1. Its brightest star is Aldebaran. The Latin genitive of the name is Tauri, used to form star names within the constellation. In Greek mythology, Taurus is associated with greek tradition. The IAU standardised all constellation boundaries in 1930.
Quick facts
- IAU name
- Taurus
- Abbreviation
- Tau
- Latin genitive
- Tauri
- Hemisphere
- northern
- Area
- 797 sq deg
- Brightest star
- Aldebaran
- Quadrant
- NQ1
- Family
- Zodiac
- Mythology origin
- Greek/Babylonian
- Discovery era
- Ptolemy's 48 (Almagest, c. 150 CE)
Mythology
Taurus is one of the oldest documented constellations, its V-shaped Hyades cluster and the Pleiades having served as agricultural calendars for millennia. In Greek mythology the bull represents Zeus in disguise — the king of the gods transformed himself into a magnificent white bull to abduct the Phoenician princess Europa. Charmed by its gentle manner, Europa draped garlands around its neck and eventually climbed onto its back; the bull then waded into the sea and swam to the island of Crete, where Zeus revealed himself and fathered Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon with her. The Pleiades in the constellation's shoulder are the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, transformed into stars to save them from the pursuit of Orion. In Babylonian astronomy, the Bull of Heaven appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the goddess Ishtar sends it to destroy Gilgamesh after he rejects her advances — an episode that may pre-date the Greek identification. The Hyades cluster is approximately 153 light-years from Earth; the Pleiades are about 444 light-years distant.
Sources: Ovid Metamorphoses 2.833-875; Aratus Phaenomena 170-178; Apollodorus Bibliotheca 3.1.1.
Overview
Taurus is one of the 88 constellations formally recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It occupies 797 square degrees of sky in the northern hemisphere sky, best visible at latitudes between +90 and -60 degrees in December. The constellation belongs to the Zodiac family of constellations. Its Latin genitive is Tauri, the form used when naming stars within the constellation — for example, the brightest star Aldebaran may appear in catalogues as Alpha Tauri or similar. The IAU standardised the boundaries of all 88 constellations in 1930 under the direction of Eugène Delporte, using straight lines of right ascension and declination to eliminate the ambiguities of earlier variable-boundary systems.
Notable stars
The brightest star in Taurus is Aldebaran. Individual stars within Taurus are conventionally named using Bayer designation — Greek letters followed by the Latin genitive of the constellation name (Tauri) — introduced by Johann Bayer in his 1603 star atlas Uranometria. Flamsteed numbers (numeric designators followed by Taurus) were added by John Flamsteed in his 1712 catalogue. Variable stars, double stars, and deep-sky objects within the Taurus boundary are catalogued by the IAU with the abbreviation Tau.
History and mythology
The figure of Taurus appears in the classical astronomical tradition. Ptolemy included this constellation in the Almagest (c. 150 CE), the definitive ancient catalogue of 48 constellations, which formed the foundation for Islamic, medieval European, and Renaissance astronomy. The constellation's figure and mythology were transmitted through works such as Aratus's Phaenomena, Eratosthenes's Catasterismi, and Hyginus's Astronomica. See the Mythology section above for the full narrative.
Sources & further reading (2)
- official-iau — accessed 2026-05-06
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-06
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Taurus mean?
Taurus is the Latin name used by the IAU to designate this constellation. The name comes from classical Latin and Greek astronomical tradition. In star catalogues, stars within Taurus are designated using the genitive form of the name (e.g. Alpha Taurus or similar Latin genitive forms) — a naming convention introduced by Johann Bayer in his 1603 atlas Uranometria and still in use today.
How large is Taurus compared to other constellations?
Taurus covers 797 square degrees of sky. The full sphere of the sky contains 41,253 square degrees, so Taurus occupies about 1.9% of the total sky. For comparison, the largest constellation is Hydra at 1303 square degrees; the smallest is Crux at 68 square degrees.
When and where is Taurus visible?
Taurus is primarily a northern hemisphere constellation, best seen from mid-northern latitudes. Southern hemisphere observers may see it low on the horizon depending on their latitude. The brightest star, Aldebaran, serves as the main visual anchor for locating the constellation. As with all constellations, the best viewing conditions are a dark sky away from artificial light pollution, with the constellation high enough above the horizon to minimise atmospheric absorption.
