Stargazing: Taurus returns to the morning sky
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You probably have noticed that the days are beginning to get a little shorter and the nights a little longer, so don't be surprised to learn that Taurus, a winter constellation, has returned to the morning sky.
As our planet revolves around the sun, the sun appears to move against the background of different constellations in space. The path that marks the sun's journey through space is called the ecliptic. The ecliptic passes through the constellations of the zodiac. In late May and early June the sun was in Taurus. The sun has now moved into Cancer, allowing Taurus to escape the obliterating light of our star and return for viewing in the morning sky.
Start your search for Taurus one hour before sunrise by locating the trio of Venus, Jupiter and Aldebaran, Taurus' brightest star. Venus sits 20 degrees above the eastern horizon and about 13 degrees to the lower right of Jupiter. Fainter Aldebaran can be found 5 degrees to the lower right of Jupiter.
First Published July 30, 2012 12:00 am
