Constellations are groups of stars in a specific area of the night sky. There are so many stars, astronomers have organized the night sky into 88 areas, or constellations. There are over 100 billion stars in the Galaxy. The stars are so far away that they would literally have to move billions of miles before any difference would be seen on earth. The most well known constellations are the 12 or 13 zodiac constellations.
The sky arches over the earth much like a giant umbrella, with the stars on the inside and the North Star as its point (for those in the Northern Hemisphere). If facing north, and pretending the sky is an umbrella, turn the umbrella counterclockwise, and this is how in reality the stars move around the North Star. It takes an up-to-the-minute star chart for the hemisphere one is in to be able to begin locating where the constellations are. Check out Sky Map for a great constellation map. With experience, the 12 Zodiac constellations can be identified, and the adjacent constellations can be learned.
Taurus Constellation Myths
There are numerous myths about the Taurus constellation from different cultures, including Sumerian, Chinese, Hebrew, Akkadian, among others. The Greek myth is most well known. In this story, Europa, the beautiful daughter of King Agenor of Tyre (Phoenicia) was playing by the sea. Zeus saw her, and fell in love with her. He tricked her into sitting on his back by disguising himself as a peaceful white bull. As soon as she sat on him, he rushed her away to the island of Crete, and made her his lover and the Queen of Crete. She had three sons by him, and he immortalized his love by placing the shape of the bull in the stars.
Taurus Constellation Highlights
The constellations which border Taurus are Auriga, Perseus, Aries, Cetus, Eridanus, Orion, and Gemini. It is typically visible around 9pm in the month of January, between latitudes +90 and -65 degrees.
There are seven large stars in the Taurus constellation, but at least 15 stars can be seen. The Taurus constellation has two star clusters (Messier Objects) forming different parts of it. The brightest of the seven stars is the Alderbaran, a spectral class K5+III giant star, and part of the Hyades star cluster. The Alderbaran forms the eye which is said to be glaring at Orion.
The Pleiades is in the northeast section of this constellation - a cluster of seven stars, also known as the seven sisters. These are some of the most well known star clusters visible with the unaided eye.
The two horns of the bull are the Beta Tauri and Zeta Tauri. The Beta Tauri is the second brightest star in this constellation and the 24th brightest star in the sky.
If more technical information is required, consult a local library or the NASA website on the Taurus constellation.
References
White, Raymond E. "Constellation." World Book Online Reference Center. 2005. World Book, Inc. Worldbookonline.com
Rachel Schaus - Rachel Schaus, contributing writer,Minnesota-based freelance writer who has written hundreds of articles relating to classical education, ...
