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Taurus the bull is one of the oldest
constellations; records of these stars being
seen as a bull go back at least 6,000 years.
This is hardly surprising, as Taurus is not
only a zodiac constellation through which the
sun and planets pass, but is also one of the
brightest and most spectacular star groups in
the heavens. The two most arresting features
of Taurus are two large star clusters: the
bright small clump of the Pleiades (usually
drawn as the tuft of hair on the bull's tail),
and the larger Hyades (marking the base of the
bull's horns), whose "V" shape surrounds
Taurus's brightest star, the orange giant
Aldebaran. The tips of the long horns are
marked by the bluish stars El Nath and Zeta
Tauri, both easily visible to the unaided eye.
To spot Taurus in the winter months, look high
overhead as evening begins; the two star
clusters are a dead giveaway.
[Continued...]
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