Taurus - Revision history

Sushoff: /* Aratos */

2026-03-17T06:24:33Z

Aratos

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:24, 17 March 2026
Line 25:		Line 25:

	===== Aratos =====		===== Aratos =====
	<blockquote>Near the feet of the Charioteer look for the horned Bull crouching. This constellation is very recognisable, so clearly defined is its head: one needs no other sign to identify the ox’s head, so well do the stars themselves model both sides of it as they go round. Their name is also very popular: the Hyades are not just nameless. They are set out all along the Bull’s face; the point of its left horn and the right foot ~~o f~~ the adjacent Charioteer are occupied by a single star, and they are pinned together as they go. But the Bull is always ahead ~~o f~~ the Charioteer in sinking to the horizon, though it rises simultaneously. (Kidd 1997)</blockquote>		<blockquote>Near the feet of the Charioteer look for the horned Bull crouching. This constellation is very recognisable, so clearly defined is its head: one needs no other sign to identify the ox’s head, so well do the stars themselves model both sides of it as they go round. Their name is also very popular: the Hyades are not just nameless. They are set out all along the Bull’s face; the point of its left horn and the right foot of the adjacent Charioteer are occupied by a single star, and they are pinned together as they go. But the Bull is always ahead of the Charioteer in sinking to the horizon, though it rises simultaneously. (Kidd 1997)</blockquote>

	===== Eratosthenes<ref>Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, translated by Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud, Les Belles Lettres, Paris 2013</ref> =====		===== Eratosthenes<ref>Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, translated by Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud, Les Belles Lettres, Paris 2013</ref> =====

Sushoff: /* Origin of Constellation */

2026-03-16T21:40:07Z

Origin of Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:40, 16 March 2026
Line 18:		Line 18:

	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====
	The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the ~~bull~~ belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.		The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the Bull of Heaven ([[GU4.AN.NA\|<sup>mul</sup>GU<sub>4</sub>.AN.NA]]) belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.

	Some researchers see the Mesopotamian constellations Hired Man ([[ḪUN.GA2\|<sup>l</sup><sup>ú</sup>ḪUN.GA<sub>2</sub>]], today: [[Aries]]) and True Shepherd of the Heavens ([[SIPA.ZI.AN.NA]], today: [[Orion]]) as a representation of this bullfight between Enkidu (Hired Man on the invisible hindquarters of the bull) and Gilgamesh. The figure of Orion stretches out one hand towards the bull's head and, according to the Almagest, swings a club with the other as if to hit the bull between the horns - as reported in the Epic of Gilgamesh (tablet 6). In addition, the shepherd figure (for humans) is a metaphor for rulers, which can be traced back to Sumerian times for kings and lives on today in the symbolism of Christian bishops. However, the divine shepherd is typically Dumuzi, Ishtar's husband, assigned to the labourer's constellation. The connection between the constellations Ori-Tau-Ari is therefore very speculative without written evidence. Writing as a cultural technique had only just been invented at this time. Only a few commercial documents and no astronomical texts have survived from the 3rd millennium.		Some researchers see the Mesopotamian constellations Hired Man ([[ḪUN.GA2\|<sup>l</sup><sup>ú</sup>ḪUN.GA<sub>2</sub>]], today: [[Aries]]) and True Shepherd of the Heavens ([[SIPA.ZI.AN.NA]], today: [[Orion]]) as a representation of this bullfight between Enkidu (Hired Man on the invisible hindquarters of the bull) and Gilgamesh. The figure of Orion stretches out one hand towards the bull's head and, according to the Almagest, swings a club with the other as if to hit the bull between the horns - as reported in the Epic of Gilgamesh (tablet 6). In addition, the shepherd figure (for humans) is a metaphor for rulers, which can be traced back to Sumerian times for kings and lives on today in the symbolism of Christian bishops. However, the divine shepherd is typically Dumuzi, Ishtar's husband, assigned to the labourer's constellation. The connection between the constellations Ori-Tau-Ari is therefore very speculative without written evidence. Writing as a cultural technique had only just been invented at this time. Only a few commercial documents and no astronomical texts have survived from the 3rd millennium.

Sushoff: /* Babylonian */

2026-03-16T21:35:27Z

Babylonian

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:35, 16 March 2026
Line 20:		Line 20:
	The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the bull belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.		The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the bull belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.

	Some researchers see the Mesopotamian constellations Hired Man (today: Aries) and True Shepherd of the Heavens (today: Orion) as a representation of this bullfight between Enkidu (Hired Man on the invisible hindquarters of the bull) and Gilgamesh. The figure of Orion stretches out one hand towards the bull's head and, according to the Almagest, swings a club with the other as if to hit the bull between the horns - as reported in the Epic of Gilgamesh (tablet 6). In addition, the shepherd figure (for humans) is a metaphor for rulers, which can be traced back to Sumerian times for kings and lives on today in the symbolism of Christian bishops. However, the divine shepherd is typically Dumuzi, Ishtar's husband, assigned to the labourer's constellation. The connection between the constellations Ori-Tau-Ari is therefore very speculative without written evidence. Writing as a cultural technique had only just been invented at this time. Only a few commercial documents and no astronomical texts have survived from the 3rd millennium.		Some researchers see the Mesopotamian constellations Hired Man ([[ḪUN.GA2\|<sup>l</sup><sup>ú</sup>ḪUN.GA<sub>2</sub>]], today: [[Aries]]) and True Shepherd of the Heavens ([[SIPA.ZI.AN.NA]], today: [[Orion]]) as a representation of this bullfight between Enkidu (Hired Man on the invisible hindquarters of the bull) and Gilgamesh. The figure of Orion stretches out one hand towards the bull's head and, according to the Almagest, swings a club with the other as if to hit the bull between the horns - as reported in the Epic of Gilgamesh (tablet 6). In addition, the shepherd figure (for humans) is a metaphor for rulers, which can be traced back to Sumerian times for kings and lives on today in the symbolism of Christian bishops. However, the divine shepherd is typically Dumuzi, Ishtar's husband, assigned to the labourer's constellation. The connection between the constellations Ori-Tau-Ari is therefore very speculative without written evidence. Writing as a cultural technique had only just been invented at this time. Only a few commercial documents and no astronomical texts have survived from the 3rd millennium.

	==== Greco-Roman ====		==== Greco-Roman ====

	===== Aratos =====		===== Aratos =====
	<blockquote>Near the feet ~~o f~~ the Charioteer look for the horned Bull crouching. This constellation is very recognisable, so clearly defined is its head: one needs no other sign to identify the ox’s head, so well do the stars themselves model both sides of it as they go round. Their name is also very popular: the Hyades are not just nameless. They are set out all along the Bull’s face; the point of its left horn and the right foot o f the adjacent Charioteer are occupied by a single star, and they are pinned together as they go. But the Bull is always ahead o f the Charioteer in sinking to the horizon, though it rises simultaneously. (Kidd 1997)</blockquote>		<blockquote>Near the feet of the Charioteer look for the horned Bull crouching. This constellation is very recognisable, so clearly defined is its head: one needs no other sign to identify the ox’s head, so well do the stars themselves model both sides of it as they go round. Their name is also very popular: the Hyades are not just nameless. They are set out all along the Bull’s face; the point of its left horn and the right foot o f the adjacent Charioteer are occupied by a single star, and they are pinned together as they go. But the Bull is always ahead o f the Charioteer in sinking to the horizon, though it rises simultaneously. (Kidd 1997)</blockquote>

	===== Eratosthenes<ref>Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, translated by Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud, Les Belles Lettres, Paris 2013</ref> =====		===== Eratosthenes<ref>Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, translated by Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud, Les Belles Lettres, Paris 2013</ref> =====

Sushoff at 21:29, 16 March 2026

2026-03-16T21:29:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:29, 16 March 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}		Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
	----		----
	[[File:Taurus (tau).~~tif~~\|alt=sstar chart of Taurus\|thumb\|Taurus, The Bull, modern definition. credit: IAU and Sky & Telescope]]		[[File:Taurus (tau).jpg\|alt=sstar chart of Taurus\|thumb\|Taurus, The Bull, modern definition. credit: IAU and Sky & Telescope]]
	One of the 88 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Astronomical_Union IAU] constellations. For the star cluster-asterisms of the [[Pleiades]] and the [[Hyades]] see separate entry.		One of the 88 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Astronomical_Union IAU] constellations. For the star cluster-asterisms of the [[Pleiades]] and the [[Hyades]] see separate entry.

Line 17:		Line 17:
	Originally, the celestial bull is part of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was king of Sumer, the southern part of Mesopotamia, in the 3rd millennium. It is unclear how long this king actually lived and ruled, but he is documented in a list of kings. Perhaps several kings (of the same name) are mixed up there. The figure of Gilgamesh in literature symbolises a number of cultural upheavals or as a founder of culture.		Originally, the celestial bull is part of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was king of Sumer, the southern part of Mesopotamia, in the 3rd millennium. It is unclear how long this king actually lived and ruled, but he is documented in a list of kings. Perhaps several kings (of the same name) are mixed up there. The figure of Gilgamesh in literature symbolises a number of cultural upheavals or as a founder of culture.

			==== Babylonian ====
	The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the bull belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.		The most important city in Sumer was Uruk, whose city goddess is Inanna/Ishtar. After Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu had already performed other heroic deeds, they fight together in Uruk against the celestial bull sent by Ishtar: the bull belonged to Ishtar's father, the sky god Anu, and was therefore a deity or mythical creature. The heroes succeed in defeating the beast when Enkidu grabs the bull from behind and Gilgamesh grabs it from the front. This explains the bisected constellation.

Sushoff at 20:03, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T20:03:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:03, 26 February 2026
Line 8:		Line 8:
	[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024).<ref>Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires, 4, 121</ref>]]		[[File:TauAll+year.jpg\|thumb\|Mesopotamian terms in the sign of Taurus; the diagram shows that the terminology was changed around 300 BCE (Hoffmann and Hunger 2024).<ref>Hoffmann, S. M. and Hunger, H. (2024). Terminology in Taurus, The Bull. Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires, 4, 121</ref>]]
	[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025)<ref>Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, [https://orientalistik.univie.ac.at/publikationen/afo/ Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO)] 56, 45-53</ref> ]]		[[File:Fig1 taurus tablet 150dpi sciLogs.jpg\|thumb\|Taurus sign with drawings of Pleiades (Bristle), Hyades (Chariot), Bull, and the Moon during a total lunar eclipse in the Moon's hypsoma; drawing by Hoffmann (2025)<ref>Hoffmann, S.M. (2025). Image Analysis of VAT 7851, [https://orientalistik.univie.ac.at/publikationen/afo/ Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO)] 56, 45-53</ref> ]]
	The shape of a bull is quite easily recognisable in the sky in this asterism. Two open star clusters stand out prominently: the Hyades and the Pleiades. They are sometimes seen as the pillars of a gate through which the sun, moon and planets pass. By adding further stars, they become the figure of half a bull. Greek mythology explains the absence of the back of the bull by the fact that it is swimming.		The shape of a bull is quite easily recognisable in the sky in this asterism. Two open star clusters stand out prominently: the Hyades and the Pleiades.<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref> They are sometimes seen as the pillars of a gate through which the sun, moon and planets pass. By adding further stars, they become the figure of half a bull. Greek mythology explains the absence of the back of the bull by the fact that it is swimming.

	In reality, of course, the zodiacal constellation - like all the others - is taken from Mesopotamia.		In reality, of course, the zodiacal constellation - like all the others - is taken from Mesopotamia.

Sushoff: /* Stars Mentioned */

2026-02-12T13:51:54Z

Stars Mentioned

@@ Line 121: / Line 121: @@
 |Lib II Cap V §10
 |rising, east, first
+|
 |}

Sushoff: /* Rising (Lib III Cap III §11) */

2026-02-12T13:37:22Z

Rising (Lib III Cap III §11)

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:37, 12 February 2026
Line 65:		Line 65:
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|1 1/6 hours = 70 min = ~~17.5~~ degree		\| colspan="4" \|1 1/8 hours = 67.5 min = 16 7/8 degree
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* Rising (Lib III Cap III §11) */

2026-02-12T13:33:48Z

Rising (Lib III Cap III §11)

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:33, 12 February 2026
Line 34:		Line 34:

	====== Rising (Lib III Cap III §11) ======		====== Rising (Lib III Cap III §11) ======
	~~<blockquote>The Rising of Taurus ...</blockquote>~~
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	\|+		\|+

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-12T13:33:27Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:33, 12 February 2026
Line 32:		Line 32:

	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====

			====== Rising (Lib III Cap III §11) ======
			<blockquote>The Rising of Taurus ...</blockquote>
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+
			!
			! colspan="2" \|east
			! colspan="2" \|south
			\|-
			!
			!lam1
			!lam2
			!lam1
			!lam2
			\|-
			\|
			\|Tau 7°
			\|Tau 29°
			\|Cap 21.5°
			\|Psc 9°
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|star
			\|the southernmost of the four at the cut-off
			\|the one at the tip of the right horn
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|duration
			\| colspan="4" \|1 1/6 hours = 70 min = 17.5 degree
			\|}

			====== Setting (Lib III Cap IV §11) ======
			{\| class="wikitable"
			!
			! colspan="2" \|west
			! colspan="2" \|south
			\|-
			!
			!lam1
			!lam2
			!lam1
			!lam2
			\|-
			\|
			\|Psc 20°
			\|Tau 26°
			\|Cnc 22°
			\|Vir 7°
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|star
			\|the southernmost of the four at the cut-off
			\|the one at the tip of the left horn
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|duration
			\| colspan="4" \|3 hours = 180 min = 45°
			\|}

			====== Stars Mentioned ======
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+
			!
			!Greek
			!German
			!English
			!ident.
			!src
			!
			!lam_culm
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib II Cap V §10
			\|rising, east, first
			\|
			\|}

	===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====		===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Almagest Ταῦρος */

2026-02-06T10:27:59Z

Almagest Ταῦρος

Show changes