The figure in the sky: north is up, east is to the left. Larger dots are brighter stars.

Constellation

Taurus

The shape: a V of stars with the red eye Aldebaran.

Zeus turned himself into a white bull to carry the princess Europa off across the sea – our continent and one of Jupiter's moons are named after her. Aldebaran is the bull's red eye, and on its back sparkle the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades.

The stars of the figure

From bright to faint. Brightness is given in magnitudes (mag): the smaller the number, the brighter the star.

Aldebaran · 0.86 mag
Elnath · 1.65 mag
ZetaTau · 3 mag
Ain · 3.53 mag
GammaTau · 3.65 mag
DeltaTau · 3.76 mag

Shooting stars from the constellation Taurus

Taurids: these shooting stars seem to come from this part of the sky. More under Meteor showers.

In the 3D model

In the 3D model, under “Explore”, the sky dome shows when the constellation Taurus can be seen above Switzerland. “Constellations in 3D” shows how far apart its stars really are.

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