Zeta Tauri [SEP] constellation
Zeta Tauri
Zeta Tauri (ζ Tauri, abbreviated Zeta Tau, ζ Tau) is a binary star in the zodiac constellation of Taurus, the Bull. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.0, which is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Parallax measurements place it at a distance of roughly 440 light-years from the Sun.
The two components are designated Zeta Tauri A (officially named Tianguan ) and B.
Nomenclature.
"ζ Tauri" (Latinised to "Zeta Tauri"
giant star known as "El Nath", which comes from the Arabic phrase "the butting", as in butting by the horns of the bull. At magnitude 1.65, it is the second brightest star in the constellation, and shares the border with the neighboring constellation of Auriga. As a result, it also bears the designation Gamma Aurigae. Zeta Tauri (the proper name is "Tianguan") is an eclipsing binary star that completes an orbit every 133 days.
A degree to the northwest of ζ Tauri