Atlas
Atlas is a small, single-star constellation residing in the North-askan skies. It’s characterized by an apparent position just above the celestial East, and its coordinates reveal it to be located about 401.7 light-years away in the Milky Way galaxy. This star is known for its relatively gentle luminosity, a magnitude of 3.616, placed within the apparent brightness range for such a comparatively distant celestial body. It was formally defined as part of the Tau constellation.
Atlas’s immediate recognizability stems largely from its proximity within the broader structure of the Tau constellation. Sirius, with its exceptionally intense brightness and relative positioning, presents a potent visual cue in the constellation's overall structure. This particular star's existence and relative location give it a significant presence amongst other astronomical objects in that particular area of space and time. It’s difficult to determine specific observational properties beyond a general overview of its position relative to Earth’s orbit. While these numbers provide a crucial starting point, further detailed analysis wouldn’t establish any unique spectral characteristics or internal composition.
Considering Atlas's apparent brightness, it represents an important point of light within a relatively empty space of the Milky Way. Its small size relative to other stars of its magnitude suggests that it requires ample distance from our solar system to be visible to observers. Perhaps in ancient societies, Atlas represented an important aspect of navigation or astronomical observation, providing a reliable indicator of local cosmic coordinates.
How to see it
Atlas has a visual magnitude of about 3.62: under a reasonably dark sky it is typically reachable with the unaided eye.
Sky position
Equatorial coordinates for Atlas: right ascension 3h 49m 10s, declination +24° 3′ 12″ (J2000), in the region of the Taurus constellation (IAU figure Tau).
Catalog context
Atlas. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 27 Tau, HIP 17847, HD 23850, Gaia DR3 66526127137440128. In the SkyKeepsake Taurus (Tau) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.
Catalog identifiers
- Gaia
- Gaia DR3 66526127137440128
- HIP
- 17847
- HD
- 23850
- gaia_dr3
- 66526127137440128
- Bayer / Flamsteed
- 27 Tau
Also known as
- 27 Tau
- Gaia DR3 TOP 5M 66526127137440128
- HD 23850
- HIP 17847
Observed properties
- Visual magnitude
- 3.62