1. One of a group of stars that have irregular light curves, and which are believed to represent the stage in a star's evolution shortly before it appears on the main sequence.

The stars characteristically have rapid rotation and throw off much material in stellar winds.

2. Any of a class of very young stars having a mass of the same order as that of the sun.

So called after a prototype identified in a bright region of gas and dust known as the Hind’s variable nebula, the T Tauri stars are characterized by erratic changes in brightness.

They represent an early stage in stellar evolution, having only recently been formed by the rapid gravitational condensation of interstellar gas and dust.

These young stars are relatively unstable, though contracting more slowly than before, and will remain in that condition until their interior temperatures become high enough to support thermonuclear reactions for energy generation.

More than 500 T Tauri stars have so far been observed. The sun is thought to have gone through the T Tauri stage in its beginning.