When is the best time to observe Tau Puppis?

Tau Puppis is best observed from November through January, with peak visibility during December when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Tau Puppis located in the sky?

Tau Puppis lies in the constellation Puppis at right ascension 06h 50m and declination -50° 37′.

What telescope do I need to see Tau Puppis?

At magnitude 2.9, Tau Puppis is visible to the naked eye from dark skies, easy in any binoculars.

Tau Puppis — Star in Puppis

Magnitude 2.9^m Star Puppis (Pup) Visible

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About Tau Pup

Description

Tau Puppis is an orange giant of spectral type K1III at magnitude 2.93 in the constellation Puppis. Located about 182 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 195 times solar and a surface temperature of about 4,600 K. It is a typical evolved giant star that has exhausted its core hydrogen and expanded significantly.

Observing Tips

Tau Pup lies in the northern part of Puppis, not far from the bright star Naos (Zeta Pup). It appears as a warm orange star in a rich area of the southern Milky Way. Best observed from January through April. Visible from the southern hemisphere and from northern latitudes south of about 40°N.

History

Tau Puppis has no traditional proper name. Like all stars in Puppis, it was originally part of the great constellation Argo Navis before Lacaille divided it in 1763. Puppis represents the stern (poop deck) of the mythological ship in which Jason and the Argonauts sailed.

Fun Facts

Puppis is unique among constellations in that its Bayer designations do not start with Alpha — the brightest stars of the original Argo Navis retained their letters when the constellation was split, so Puppis's brightest star is designated Zeta, not Alpha.