Aldebaran

From Freepedia

Aldebaran

Epoch J2000.0
Constellation	Taurus
Right ascension	04h 35m 55.2s
Declination	+16° 30' 33"
Distance	65.1 ± 1.2 ly (20.0 ± 0.4 pc)
Spectral type	K5+III
Apparent magnitude	+0.87
Other designations
α Tauri, Parilicium, Cor Tauri, Paliliya, 87 Tauri, HR 1457, HD 29139, BD+16 629, FK5 168, HIP 21421, SAO 94027, GC 5605, ADS 3321, CCDM 04359+1631

Image:Aldebaran.PNG Aldebaran, (α Tau / α Tauri / Alpha Tauri), is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky.

Its name is derived from Arabic الدبران ad-dabarān meaning "the follower", a reference to the way the star follows the Pleiades star cluster in its nightly journey across the sky. Aldebaran has the appearance of being the brightest member of the more scattered Hyades cluster, which is the closest star cluster to Earth. However, it is merely located in the line of sight between the Earth and the Hyades, and is actually an independent star.

Aldebaran is a K5 III star, which means it is orangish, large, and has moved off of the main sequence by using all its hydrogen fuel. It has a minor companion (a dim M2 dwarf orbiting at several hundred AU). Now primarily fusing helium, the main star has expanded to a diameter of approximately 5.3 × 10⁷ km, or about 38 times the diameter of the Sun. The Hipparcos satellite has measured it as 65.1 light years away, and it shines with 150 times the Sun's luminosity. Taken together this distance and brightness makes it the 14th brightest star, having an apparent magnitude of 0.87. It is slightly variable, of the irregular variable type, by about 0.2 magnitude.

In 1997, a possible large planet (or small brown dwarf) companion was reported, with a minimum mass of 11 Jupiters and orbiting at a distance of 1.35 AU.

Aldebaran is one of the easiest stars to find in the night sky, partly due to its brightness and partly due to its spatial relation to one of the more noticeable asterisms in the sky. If one follows the three stars of Orion's belt from left to right (in the Northern Hemisphere) or right to left (in the Southern), the first bright star found by continuing that line is Aldebaran.

The unmanned Pioneer 10 spacecraft was last reported to have been heading toward Aldebaran. Assuming the spacecraft avoids some form of collision, the spacecraft will arrive at Aldebaran in 2 million years.

Aldebaran in astrology

Astrologically, Aldebaran is a fortunate star, portending riches and honor. This star, named "Tascheter" by the Persians, is one of the four "royal stars" of the Persians from around 3000 BC. These stars were chosen in such way that they were approximately 6 hours apart in right ascension. To each of these stars was assigned to a season, Aldebaran was prominent in the sky of March and as such, it was associated with the vernal equinox.

To medieval astrologers it was one of fifteen Behenian stars, associated with rubies, milk thistles and the kabbalistic sign Image:Agrippa1531 Aldaboram.png.

In the religion of Stregheria, Aldebaran is a fallen angel and quarter guardian of the eastern gate.

Aldebaran in fiction

Aldebaran is one of several stars mentioned in the Cthulhu Mythos, as somehow relating to the god Hastur.

In Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, mankind's first contact with the alien race, later called Taurans, technically occurs near Aldebaran. As the main character explains, ""Aldebaranian" is a little hard to handle, they named the enemy "Tauran"."

Frederick Pohl's Narabedla Inc. is partially set on a planet circling Aldebaran. The title being the name of an Earth Corporation run by human agents of the Aldebaran aliens. Narabedla is Aldebaran spelled backward.

Aldebaran in media

Aldebaran (displayed as Al De Baran) is the name of a city in the MMORPG Ragnarok Online.