Taurus Constellation

From LoveToKnow Horoscopes

The Taurus constellation contains one of the brightest stars in the sky, Aldebaran, and the zodiac sign housed in this constellation, Taurus, was once considered the first of the zodiac wheel.

The powerful bull is Taurus's symbol.

About the Taurus Constellation

When the ancients looked at the sky and spotted the fourteenth brightest star in the sky, Aldebaran, they decided that this would be the only place worthy enough to house the sign of Taurus. The Taurus constellation is one of the oldest, and at one point was in fact, the first zodiac sign (the Aries constellation later took over that honor).

Stars and Location

The Taurus constellation holds more than fourteen stars within its boundaries. Some of these stars include:

Alnath
Hyadum (I and II)
Ain
Alcyone
Celaeno
Atlas
Pleione

To locate this constellation, it’s imperative to know:

Abbreviation: Tau
Right Ascension: 4 hours
Declination: 15 Degrees
Visible: Between the latitudes of 90 and -65 degrees
Visible Best: In January in the evening

Meteor Showers

The constellation Taurus experiences two meteor showers.

The Taurids: Divided into two sections, the northern branch of showers occur between October 12 and December 2. The best viewing is from November 4-7. The southern branck of showers occur between September 17 and November 27. The best viewing is between October and November 7.
The Beta Taurids: This shower takes place from June 5 to July 18, and can actually be viewed during daylight hours.

Common Taurus Traits

Before delving into the myths associated with this constellation, and by extension, the zodiac sign itself, it’s helpful to know some of the Taurus personality traits. These include:

Stubbornness: Taurus is a fixed sign, and therefore people born under this sign have a very difficult time changing their minds.

Prone to Excess: Material loving Taureans always wants to live in the lap of luxury, and they don’t always think about the consequences that might be associated with it.

Lusty: Lust and an excess of passion may seem like a strange quality to be associated with Taurus, after all Taureans are pragmatism personified, but the bull was not the ancient symbol of fertility for nothing!

Myths Associated with the Constellation of Taurus

Like all the zodiac signs and constellations, rich myths and stories surround these stars; Taurus is no different. The bull as long been Taurus’ symbol. In fact, most of the ancient cultures, including ancient Egypt, Crete and Assyria, all had statutes and paintings to honor the bull. Here are but a few of the myths associated with this zodiac sign.

Ishtar and Gilgamesh

The Sumerians called Taurus the Bull of Heaven, and Ishtar, a Venus-type figure with a lusty reputation for romance, set her sights on the heroic Gilgamesh. Unfortunately, Gilgamesh rejected her advances.

Ishtar, beseeched with rage, went straight away to her father Anu, the king of the gods, and asked him to create a giant bull of heaven to kill Gilgamesh. That bull was to be immortalized as constellation Taurus, and later on, Gilgamesh, did face the bull, and was victorious.

King Minos and the Minotaur

Astrological scholars believe that the tale of King Minos and the Minotaur represents Taurus’s ability to strengthen their loved ones courage and to confront their fears. In this story, Poseidon (Neptune) sends a magnificent bull to King Minos and orders him to sacrifice it.

However, this bull was so splendid that King Minos couldn’t bring himself to obey. Poseidon and the other Gods became so angry that they drove the King’s wife, Queen Pasiphae, mad with lust. She then mated with the bull and gave birth to a monster that was half man and half-bull; a Minotaur.

From there, King Minos hid the beast and asked Dayedalus to build a labyrinth to confine the Minotaur. Event though human sacrifices were brought to feed the Minotaur, the beast grew more and more demanding.

One of the sacrificial victims, Theseus, wanted to kill the monster. He asked King Minos' daughter, Ariadne, for help. Ariadne helped Theseus by giving him a magic thread that he could use to chart his course in the dark maze that contained the monster. Theseus was successful in slaying the Minotaur, but he abandoned Ariadne in a ruthless manner (she later went on to have a romance with Dionysus).

Putting It All Together

The symbol of Taurus the bull is what the ancients saw when they gazed up into the nighttime sky. Inspired by this magnificent creature in the heavens, they created tales of lust, greed and a dogmatic single mindedness; all things that Taurus needs to keep an eye out for. Along with this, there is also the resplendent beauty and luxury of the tales; the flip side of Taurus. As it has for centuries, the Taurus constellation continues to inspire our imaginations.

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