| parallax = 15.5940
| p_error = 0.2061
| parallax_footnote = [10]
| absmag_v = 0.50[11]
}}{{Starbox detail
| mass = 2.55[12]
| radius = 11[7]
| luminosity = 63[7]
| temperature = 4,887[7]
| metal_fe = –0.27[7]
| gravity = 2.7[7]
| rotational_velocity = 3.8[7]
| age_gyr = 660 - 890[12]
}}{{Starbox catalog
| names = τ Aur, 29 Aurigae, BD+39 1418, HD 38656, HIP 27483, HR 1995, SAO 58465.[20]
}}{{Starbox reference
|Simbad=tau+Aur
}}{{Starbox end}}Tau Aurigae, Latinized from τ Aurigae, is a star in the northern constellation Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.505,[3] and is approximately {{Convert|207|ly|pc|abbr=off|lk=on}} distant from Earth.
Tau Aurigae is an evolved giant star with a stellar classification of G8 III.[4] It has expanded to 11 times the radius of the Sun and shines with 63 times the Sun's luminosity. This energy is radiated into outer space from the outer atmosphere at an effective temperature of 4,887.[7] This heat gives it the yellow-hued glow of a G-type star.[24]
References
1. ^1 {{citation | title=XHIP: An extended hipparcos compilation | last1=Anderson | first1=E. | last2=Francis | first2=Ch. | journal=Astronomy Letters | volume=38 | issue=5 | pages=331 | year=2012 | bibcode=2012AstL...38..331A | doi=10.1134/S1063773712050015 | arxiv=1108.4971 | postscript=. }}
2. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 {{citation | display-authors=1 | last1=Massarotti | first1=Alessandro | last2=Latham | first2=David W. | last3=Stefanik | first3=Robert P. | last4=Fogel | first4=Jeffrey | title=Rotational and Radial Velocities for a Sample of 761 HIPPARCOS Giants and the Role of Binarity | journal=The Astronomical Journal | volume=135 | issue=1 | pages=209–231 |date=January 2008 | doi=10.1088/0004-6256/135/1/209 | bibcode=2008AJ....135..209M | postscript=. }}
3. ^1 2 3 4 {{citation | last1=Oja | first1=T. | title=UBV photometry of stars whose positions are accurately known. III | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series | volume=65 | issue=2 | pages=405–409 |date=August 1986 | bibcode=1986A&AS...65..405O | postscript=. }}
4. ^1 2 {{citation | title=The Spectra of the Bright Stars of Types F5-K5 | last=Roman | first=Nancy G. | journal=Astrophysical Journal | volume=116 | page=122 |date=July 1952 | doi=10.1086/145598 | bibcode=1952ApJ...116..122R | postscript=. }}
5. ^1 {{citation | title=tau Aur -- Star in double system | work=SIMBAD Astronomical Database | publisher=Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg | url=http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=Tau+Aurigae | accessdate=2012-08-20 | postscript=. }}
6. ^1 {{citation | title=The Colour of Stars | date=December 21, 2004 | work=Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education | publisher=Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | url=http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/photometry_colour.html | accessdate=2012-01-16 | postscript=. }}
7. ^1 2 {{cite journal|bibcode=2016ApJ...817...40F|title=Determining Ages of APOGEE Giants with Known Distances|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=817|issue=1|pages=40|last1=Feuillet|first1=Diane K.|last2=Bovy|first2=Jo|last3=Holtzman|first3=Jon|last4=Girardi|first4=Léo|last5=MacDonald|first5=Nick|last6=Majewski|first6=Steven R.|last7=Nidever|first7=David L.|year=2016}}
8. ^1 {{cite DR2|191419859094194816}}
Note: see VizieR catalogue I/311.