Taiyi

Its story

Taiyi is a white variable star in the body of Draco, 95 light-years from us, whose name pays homage to classical Chinese cosmology: «Taiyi» means «the great unity», a philosophical concept designating the supreme principle of the universe. In imperial Chinese astronomy, this light marked the unmoving centre around which the lesser stars revolved, an elegant way of projecting metaphysics onto the night sky.