Star profile

Tianguan

Zeta Tauri · Taurus

Variable star

3D likeness based on its real data · class B · ~15,000 K

What is Tianguan

Tianguan, «the heavenly gate» in Chinese, is a variable blue B-class star in Taurus, near the bull's southern horn. Its name preserves the imperial astronomy that mapped the firmament as a celestial palace, complete with gates, halls and guards. Its brightness shifts slightly over time, and its light — set out some 445 years ago — was already on the move when Galileo first pointed his telescope at the night.

Where it is and when to see it

Tianguan lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is December, 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. 4 in brightness among the 144 stars of Taurus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Aldebaran, the brightest: it lies about 15° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 450 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Tianguan

Constellation: Taurus
Apparent magnitude: 2.97
Distance: 445.0 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 84.411° · Dec 21.143°
Catalogue: HIP 26451 · HD 37202

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Other stars in Taurus

Taurus has 144 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 144 stars in Taurus