Aldebaran
star · Taurus · 0.9ᵐ
The “eye” of Taurus — an orange giant that merely appears to belong to the Hyades cluster; in reality it is twice as close to us.
Notable facts
The light you see today left Aldebaran around the year 1959.
About 113 times brighter than the faintest star visible to the naked eye.
In brief
Which constellation is Aldebaran in?
Aldebaran lies in Taurus.
Is Aldebaran visible to the naked eye?
0.9ᵐ — visible to the naked eye (under dark skies).
When is the best time to observe Aldebaran?
Best observed in November.
Data
- RA / Dec (J2000)
- 4h 36m · +16° 31′
- Type
- star
- Constellation
- Taurus
- How to observe
- 0.9ᵐ — visible to the naked eye (under dark skies)
- Spectral class
- K5III — orange star
- Absolute magnitude
- -0.7ᵐ
- Luminosity
- ≈160 × the Sun
- Distance
- ~67 light years
- Designation
- HIP 21421
Observing tip
Stars stay points at any magnification: aim your telescope for colour, brightness and companions, not detail.
Altitude above the horizon by latitude
| Latitude | Maximum altitude | Rise azimuth |
|---|---|---|
| +60° | 47° | 55° |
| +55° | 52° | 60° |
| +45° | 62° | 66° |
| +30° | 77° | 71° |
| 0° | 73° | 73° |
| −35° | 38° | 70° |
Geometric altitude at upper culmination, atmospheric refraction not included. Positive latitudes are in the northern hemisphere.
Culmination time by month
| Month | Culmination |
|---|---|
| January | 20:50 |
| February | 18:43 |
| March | 16:58 |
| April | 15:05 |
| May | 13:10 |
| June | 11:04 |
| July | 09:00 |
| August | 06:59 |
| September | 05:06 |
| October | 03:17 |
| November | 01:17 |
| December | 23:08 |
Upper culmination in local solar time — no time-zone or daylight-saving correction applied.