Star profile
Tau 1 Arietis
Variable starWhat is Tau 1 Arietis
Tau-1 Arietis is a system of three stars in the Ram. The two innermost form an eclipsing binary with a period of just over two days: each turn, one passes in front of the other and dims their combined light a fraction. Young, massive, a member of the Cas-Tau OB association sweeping across the sky as one.
Where it is and when to see it
Tau 1 Arietis lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is November, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 60° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 70° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 35° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 69° S.
It ranks no. 19 in brightness among the 57 stars of Aries in our catalogue. To find it, start from Hamal, the brightest: it lies about 17° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 510 years ago.
It opens in your browser. Free, no account, nothing to install.
Leave your signature on Tau 1 Arietis
Your name and a message go up on the map for everyone to read. Signing is free.
Without a lock, someone else can replace your signature. How the lock works
We'll ask for an email to confirm it's you, no password.
A public signature from a real person. The chosen name is a symbolic denomination within Stelvia, with no official standing or IAU recognition: the sky is not for sale and belongs to no one.
Astronomical data for Tau 1 Arietis
- Constellation
- Aries
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.27
- Distance
- 508.9 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 50.307° · Dec 21.147°
- Catalogue
- HIP 15627 · HD 20756
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Aries
Aries has 57 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- HamalAlpha Arietis2.01
- SheratanBeta Arietis2.64
- Bharani3.61
- 38 Arietis5.17
- Eta Arietis5.23
- Pi Arietis5.26
- 33 Arietis5.30
- Nu Arietis5.45