T Tauri is a system of three stars that
is the progenitor of the term T-Tauri star used for similar
young variable stars. T Tauri was discovered in 1852,
discovered to be a binary in 1981, and a triple in 1997,
the three now known as T Tau N (for "north"),
T Tau Sa and T Tau Sb.
The classification-term T-Tauri star was coined in 1945;
at the time, only T Tau N was known:
it can be observed in visible light,
while the other two are largely infrared.
T Tauri illuminates a nearby nebula, NGC 1555.
Characteristics (T Tau N):
T Tauri has proven to have unusual characteristics, giving it
continuing research interest, but make it somewhat less of a
representative of what are now labeled T Tauri stars.