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The constellation of Pisces represents a pair or fish, one swimming westward and the other northward. The star Tau Piscium represents the 'nose' of the northern fish as it swims towards Andromeda (though realistically it is difficult to discern any kind of distinct shape in the northern stars of Pisces, of a fish or otherwise).
As a faint star falling outside a distinctive pattern, Tau Piscium can be difficult to locate in the sky. An approximate line eastwards through the northern side of the Square of Pegasus points towards this star, and to the Triangulum Galaxy that lies just to the east of it in the sky.
Tau Piscium is an orange giant star, with an absolute magnitude comparable to that of Sirius, though its distance from Earth of some 170 light years makes it appear far fainter than that star in the sky.
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