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Taurus is the second astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Taurus. In western astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. In astrology, Taurus is considered a "feminine", negative sign. It is also considered an earth sign and is one of four fixed signs. Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus (which also rules Libra). Being the second sign of the zodiac, Taurus has been associated with the astrological second house. The glyph is also the alchemical symbol for rocksalt.
Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Taurus individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in Taurus from April 20 to May 20.Under the sidereal zodiac, it is currently there roughly from May 15 to June 15. An astrological chart must be plotted to ascertain the exact position of the Sun around these juncture dates.

In mythology Taurus is often associated with the Greek myth of the bull-form taken by Zeus in order to win Europa. Taurus is also associated with the Greco-Roman goddess Aphrodite/Venus and sometimes also the goddesses Hera/Juno, Ishtar, Isis, Freyja, and Frigg and the gods Pan, Dionysus/Bacchus, Xolotl, and Quetzalcoatl.[citation needed] The astrological symbol for Taurus represents the head and horns of the bull.

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Taurus (Latin: 'bull', symbol , Unicode ♉) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It sits large and prominent in the Northern Hemisphere winter sky, between Aries to the west and Gemini to the east; to the north lie Perseus and Auriga, to the southeast Orion, and to the southwest Eridanus and Cetus.

The identification of the constellation of Taurus as a bull is very old. However, we should be cautious when trying to link prehistoric phenomena with the symbolism of a number of ancient, literate cultures whose interactions and appropriations can be evaluated through the examination of their own written accounts, images and artifacts. Because prehistoric people did not document their lives in texts, we can only try to gauge the significance of their images by analyzing them in the context of other artifacts and evidence that survive from their world. We do not have their own words or voices to interpret pictures or explain if they are supposed to represent anything other than what they appear to be: massive bulls, galloping horses, deer and so on.

Nonetheless, Michael Rappenglück of the University of Munich believes that Taurus is represented in the Hall of the Bulls in the caves at Lascaux. The French paintings date to approximately 15,000-13,000 BCE, i.e., long before their creators' descendants developed a written language that presents clear signs of their culture. The theoretical connection made between a constellation and just one of many images of bulls in the caves at Lascaux should arouse skepticism. Amateurs should note that the association between constellations and Lascaux has not entered canonical scholarly literature, nor respected textbooks[who?] that are revised and updated frequently to accommodate new, scholarly discoveries.

For further information regarding Rappenglück's theory, cf. a recent report by the British Broadcasting Corporation. It should also be noted that large prehistoric images of bulls are found throughout Southwest France and Spain, joining prehistoric European sculptures of bulls rendered in stone, clay and bone whose significance continues to fascinate and intrigue. No one has been able to "solve" the puzzle they present to us nor crack any code we may wish was there. None of the murals conform to contemporary notions of a framed composition, so the idea that one out of many paintings of bulls charts the skies with discernible coordinates on a compass must also raise doubts.
Shũr was the name used in ancient Babylon for Taurus.
In Greek mythology, Zeus assumes the form of a magnificent white bull to abduct Europa, a legendary Phoenician princess, and thus, fathers Minos. The tale informs the names of constellations since it is necessary to traverse the area of sky known as the Sea to reach it. When passing through the Zodiac, it forms the origin of the myth of the Cretan Bull, one of The Twelve Labors of Heracles.
Minos inspires the name given to the ancient Aegean civilization of Crete. Minoan culture predates the rise of ancient civilizations on the Greek mainland. We can trace the ubiquitous image of the bull in Minoan culture to the Ancient Near Eastern world whose courts, tombs and temples are filled with images that tie their power to that of the bull.

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Deep Sky Objects in Taurus:

Taurus contains two well known Messier objects: the Crab Nebula and the Pleiades. Besides these two there is the `other' cluster, known as The Hyades, and the curious "Hind's Variable Nebula".
Just northwest of zeta Tauri is the first of Messier's objects: M1, the Crab Nebula. Early observers thought the object to be a star cluster, something like a dimmer version of the Great Orion Nebula. Messier was so intrigued by it, on the night of 12 September, 1758, that he began his catalogue - the purpose of which was to keep observers from mistaking such objects for comets.
It takes a rather large telescope to see any of the filamentary features of the nebula; most viewers come away disappointed.
The Crab Nebula is a remnant of a supernova, whose explosion occurred (or rather, was visibly recorded) in July of 1054. Chinese and Japanese astronomers witnessed the event. In fact, it would have been difficult not to notice, for the night sky would have been lit up by a star with the visual magnitude of about -5, bright enough to be seen even in the daytime for nearly a month.
The star that exploded, producing the nebula, is now an optical pulsar. Even now, nearly a thousand years later, the nebula is hurtling through space at roughly a thousand kilometers per second. And it continues to grow; the nebula is now over thirteen light years in diameter (four parsecs) according to the Facts On File Dictionary of Astronomy.
M45, The Pleiades.
This open cluster contains as many as three thousand stars. The brightest seven go under the name The Seven Sisters" (from brighter to dimmer): Alcyone (eta Tauri), Electra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Asterope. Added to the list are also Pleione (BU Tauri = 28 Tauri), just east of Alcyone, and Atlas (27 Tauri) who are actually Mum and Dad for the seven sisters. (The two are often seen as one star; it takes a clear night to see them as two separate stars.)

The Hyades

This open cluster of about two hundred stars is only 150 light years away, and considered to be about 600 million years old. It is shaped like a "V", just to the west of Aldebaran.
Just as the Pleiades have individual names, so did the Hyades at one time. In fact, these stars were supposed to be the half-sisters of the Pleiades, and Robert Burnham (Celestial Handbook) gives their names - and a great deal more on this group. Theta2 is the brightest star of the group, which forms a binary with theta1 (see below). The group is thought to be about 400 million years old.
These nine stars, then, constitute the minimum count, easily seen with the naked eye, while there are actually as many as 250 stars which belong to the group. The cluster is estimated to be 415 light years away. Even a small telescope brings this famous star cluster alive.

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The constellation shows mainly the horns, and exceedingly long horns they are. The left (southern) horn starts from the group of stars known as The Hyades, of which Aldebaran seems (erroneously) to be a member. It extends from Aldebaran to zeta Tauri, near the eastern edge of the constellation.
The right horn lifts up just west of the Hyades, from delta Tauri through tau Tauri and finally to its tip at beta Tauri (El Nath: remember this star as part of Auriga?)
The rest of the bull is rather disappointing; a slight body and two spindly legs. It may be that the bull is half-emerged in water, as it carries Europa across to Crete.

The stars of Taurus:

Taurus' eye is bright and piercing. This is Aldebaran (alpha Tauri), an orange giant about 40 times the size of the Sun. Aldebaran is an old star. For billions of years it has burned its supply of hydrogen until there is little left. Its future won't be as a spectacular explosion of a supernova but rather a gradual dimming into a white dwarf.
Following the lower horn out to its tip we find zeta Tauri. This is a shell star. Shell stars are main-sequence stars which rotate rapidly, causing a loss of matter to an ever-expanding shell.
Most of the interesting features of Taurus are found in the centre of the constellation and toward the west. Around Aldebaran are a number of stars which go by the collective name of The Hyades (see below).
Aldebaran is not a member of this group. Not only is it closer to us, but its proper motion is at a different angle. Aldebaran is moving at an angle of 161 degrees, the stars of the Hyades at around 102-109 degrees.

Double stars in Taurus

Taurus has an abundant selection of binary stars, including many Struve binaries that we haven't mentioned. Below is a very small selection of some of the easier doubles to resolve.
Theta2 and theta1 form a fixed binary of wide separation, theta2 just below and to the east. Note that theta2 is the primary: 3.4, 3.8; PA 346º and separation 337".
Kappa1 and kappa1 form an easily resolved binary: 4.2, 5.3; PA 328º, separation 5.3".
Sigma2 and sigma1 is another wide fixed binary. And again, sigma2 is the primary: 4.8, 5.2; PA 193º and separation 431".
80 Tauri is a difficult visual binary with an orbit of 189.5 years: 5.5, 8.0; current PA 17º and separation of 1.8" (very nearly its maximum separation).
Struve 422 is a wide visual binary with an orbit of over 2000 years: 5.9, 8.8; PA 269º, 6.7". It's located at 9º SW of nu Tauri, just north of the brighter 10 Tauri.

Variable stars in Taurus

Many of the more notable variable stars in Taurus are of a type not noticed by casual observation, such as alpha Taurus, which is classified as an Lb type variable. These are irregular giants whose variation can only be detected by means of photoelectric photometry. Alpha Taurus only changes in visual magnitude by 0.2, from 0.75 to 0.95, and the period is irregular.
BU Tauri (Pleione) is a gammaCas type variable, from 4.77 to 5.50. GammaCas variables are also characterised by an irregular period, which may sometimes be very rapid. These are B stars, quite young, and rotate very rapidly. This rotation results in the throwing off of material, which then forms a shell around the star. The cause of its variation is still not understood.
Zeta Tauri is also a gammaCas type variable, with a variation from 2.88 down to 3.17 roughly every 133 days.
Lambda Tauri, in the Hyades cluster, is a good example of an eclipsing variable. The variability is caused by the partial eclipse of the primary by its companion, dimming the 3.3 visual magnitude down to 3.8 every 3.95 days.
R Tauri is a Mira-type variable with a 320.9 day period. Usually at 7.6, it drops to a very dim 15.8 once a year. In 2000 the maximum should occur in the first week of May.

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Is Taurus attacking Orion, the Hunter, or are the Horns of the Bull the real story?
The horn was a symbol of fertility and bountiful riches in many cultures for thousands of years, and it is probably the case here, for the constellation would have announced the Vernal Equinox at around 4000 BC.

The constellation Taurus may also allude to the Greek story of Europa and the Bull. Europa was daughter of King Agenor. One fine spring day, accompanied by her hand maidens, Princess Europa went to the seashore to gather flowers. Zeus, who had fallen in love with Europa, seized the opportunity.

Zeus transformed himself into a magnificent white bull, and as such he joined King Agenor's grazing herd. Europa noticed the wonderful white beast, who gazed at them all with such a mild manner that they were not frightened.

Europa wove wreathes of flowers for the beast, and wrapped them around his horns. She led him around the meadow, and he was as docile as a lamb. Then, as he trotted down to the seashore, she jumped onto his shoulders. Suddenly, to her surprise and fright, he plunged into the sea and carried the princess to Crete.

As they reached the Cretan shore, Zeus then turned into an eagle and ravaged Europa. She bore three sons, the first of which was Minos.

Minos is said to have introduced the bull cult to the Cretans. He had Daedalus build a labyrinth in the depths of his palace at Knossus, which became the home of the Minotaur (offspring of Mino's wife Pasiphae, and a bull). Seven young men and seven maidens were ritually sacrificed to the Minotaur until Theseus killed it.

Minos, in fact, was the title of the ancient rulers of Crete, and the story probably tells of their mythic origin.