Observe
1Physical Properties
Magnitude
4.18
Spectral Type
B6IVe
supergiant
Star Color
Blue-white
(B-V -0.06)
2Position & Identifiers
RA
03h 46m 19.6s
Dec
+23° 56' 54.0"
Constellation
Taurus
(Tau)
HR
1156
HIP
17608
HD
23480
SAO
76172
Flamsteed
23 Tau
Variable ID
V971 Tau
Querying VizieR catalog...
3How easy to spot?
Sign in
and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | Medium+ | Medium+ | Medium |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Easy
Medium
Hard
Very hard
Impossible
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
4Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
Best season
Oct – Dec
(peak: Nov)
5Survey Image
Loading survey image…
Explore
7
Size Comparison
Querying VizieR for stellar data…
8
Compare Stars
9
Spectral Classification
10
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Loading HR diagram…
11
Stellar Lifecycle
12
Blackbody Spectrum
13
Stellar Absorption Spectrum
Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.
14
Stellar Fusion
Discover
15Stellar Notes
Variable hydrogen emission.
Suspected double probably single star.
Pleiades cluster; Mel 22 #980; in reflection nebula; Pleiades nebula; member assoc. Tau R1 at 110 pc.
Merope.
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
M45
Pleiades, Seven Sisters or Subaru
Open cluster
Open Cluster
mag 1.6
0.3°
Taurus
Alcyone
HIP 17702; Eta Tauri; 25 Tauri
Easy double, sep 117.6″
Double Star
mag 2.87
0.3°
Taurus
NGC 1514
Planetary nebula — try an OIII filter
Planetary Nebula
mag 10.0
8.5°
Taurus
Hind's variable nebula
NGC 1555
Reflection nebula around a bright star
Reflection Nebula
mag 9.98
9.6°
Taurus
Explore Nightbase
Related knowledge, tools, and stories — no observation planning required.
Arthur Eddington
1919 eclipse expedition confirming general relativity; first theory of stellar interiors; the Eddington limit
Biography
Taurus
Mythology, bright stars, and deep-sky highlights.
Constellation
The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
The HR diagram turns the night sky into a physics map: every named star has a spot, every spot tells you mass, age, and fate. A guide for amateur observers.
Article
