The Bull
Taurus
Genitive: Tauri · abbreviation Tau
Best evening month
December
Visible from
75°S to 90°N
Centre RA
3h 36m 00s
Centre Dec
+15° 00′
In your sky
Share your location to see where this is in your sky right now.
Mythology & origin
Zeus disguised as a white bull to carry off Europa. Contains the Pleiades and Hyades clusters and orange Aldebaran, the bull's eye.
Ptolemy · Almagest, 2nd century AD
Zodiac
♉︎ The sign of Taurus
The astrological sign shares this name but no longer matches the stars' dates — see why.
Brightest stars
- mag 0.87
Aldebaran
α Tauri · HIP 21421
- mag 1.65
Elnath
β Tauri · HIP 25428
- mag 2.85
Alcyone
η Tauri · HIP 17702
- mag 2.97
Tianguan
ζ Tauri · HIP 26451
- mag 3.40
Chamukuy
θ2 Tauri · HIP 20894
- mag 3.41
λ Tauri
HIP 18724
- mag 3.53
Ain
ε Tauri · HIP 20889
- mag 3.61
ο Tauri
HIP 15900
- mag 3.62
Atlas
27 Tauri · HIP 17847
- mag 3.65
Prima Hyadum
γ Tauri · HIP 20205
