Pleione
A captivating star in the constellation Tau, Pleione resides approximately 450.4 light years from Earth, catalogued as M5.203. It’s a bright star, displaying a magnitude of just 5.203. The star’s apparent positioning makes it remarkably visible in our night sky.
Pleonea's prominence stems from its unique orbital characteristics, orbiting the star Tau at a remarkably slow rate of just 7.241 mas/yr. This relatively low parallax value suggests a stable, relatively uniform existence, potentially leading to exceptionally long light travel times. Observing this star allows scientists to understand the history of the Tau constellation and its connection to stellar evolution.
It is frequently utilized as a navigational landmark when searching for the Tau constellation and its surrounding regions. This relatively short and stable orbit likely results in its frequent viewing status in the northern hemisphere and in the direction of the Galactic Axis.
Pleonea's consistent observation has allowed astronomers to study stellar properties and its position through stellar mechanics. Despite its steady presence, the star's lack of significant variability necessitates careful surveying and data acquisition.
The star remains a relatively mundane point of focus within the wider expanse of the Tau constellation; it is a classic example of a planetary transit marker.
How to see it
Pleione has a visual magnitude of about 5.20: under a reasonably dark sky it is typically reachable with the unaided eye.
Sky position
Equatorial coordinates for Pleione: right ascension 3h 49m 11s, declination +24° 8′ 11″ (J2000), in the region of the Taurus constellation (IAU figure Tau).
Catalog context
Pleione. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 28 Tau, HIP 17851, HD 23862, Gaia DR3 66529975427235712. In the SkyKeepsake Taurus (Tau) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.
Catalog identifiers
- Gaia
- Gaia DR3 66529975427235712
- HIP
- 17851
- HD
- 23862
- gaia_dr3
- 66529975427235712
- Bayer / Flamsteed
- 28 Tau
Also known as
- 28 Tau
- Gaia DR3 TOP 5M 66529975427235712
- HD 23862
- HIP 17851
Observed properties
- Visual magnitude
- 5.20