This list is continuously updated and added to by the WGSN.
IAU-Catalog of Star Names (2025)
| proper names | Designation | HIP | Bayer ID | Constellation | Origin | Ethnic-Cultural_Group_or_Language | Reference | Additional info, e.g. language corruptions | Date of Adoption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolutno | XO-5 | Lyn | Lyn | Absolutno is a fictional miraculous substance in the sci-fi novel Továrna na absolutno (The Factory for the Absolute) by influential Czech writer Karel Čapek. | fictional | 2019 IAU100 NameExoWorlds | Lynx | 2019/12/17 | |
| Acamar | HR 897 | 13847 | θ1 Eri | Eri | From its sci-A name akhir al-nahr, "the River's End". Applied in medieval times, and reapplied in recent times | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Eridanus | 2016/07/20 |
| Achernar | HR 472 | 7588 | α Eri | Eri | Arabic name آخر النهر (āḫiru ʾn-nahr) meaning, the End of the River; originally used for θ Eri that was considered the end of the river in the ancient star catalog (Almagest).The name was transferred to α Eri in Renaissance times when the constellation was extended south to this new terminus. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Eridanus | 2016/06/30 |
| Achird | HR 219 | 3821 | η Cas | Cas | The proper name Achird was apparently first applied to Eta Cassiopeiae in the Skalnate Pleso Atlas of the Heavens published in Slovacia in 1950, but is not known prior to that. | Contemporary | -- | Cassiopeia | 2017/09/05 |
| Acrab | HR 5984 | 78820 | β1 Sco | Sco | Arabic name al-'Aqrab for the constellation Scorpius ("the scorpion") (e.g. Al Sufi). Application of the transliteration "Acrab" specifically to the pair Beta1 and Beta2 Sco was made by Piazzi (1814) in the Palermo Catalog, and its use spread through the 19th century. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, P. (1959) Arabische Sternnamen in Europa. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. No. 3; 88; 108 | Scorpius | 2016/08/21 |
| Acrux | HR 4730 | 60718 | α Cru | Cru | < α Crucis | Contemporary | MacKworth, P.H. et al. (1938) ‘The Air Almanac: Discussion on the New Form of Nautical Allowance for Rapid Position Finding’, The Geographical journal, 92(2), p.137. | Crux | 2016/07/20 |
| Acubens | HR 3572 | 44066 | α Cnc | Cnc | Applied with various spellings since medieval times, from the Arabic word al-zubana, "the claw", used in Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos in describing the stars α and ι Cnc. Otherwise, the same Arabic word was used for the "claws" of Scorpius. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Cancer | 2016/07/20 |
| Adhafera | HR 4031 | 50335 | ζ Leo | Leo | From. the sci-A name al-dafira, "the Lock of Hair," for the Coma Berenices cluster. Wrongly applied to Leo in recent times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Leo | 2016/07/20 |
| Adhara | HR 2618 | 33579 | ε CMa | CMa | Applied in recent times from the Arabic asterism name al-(adhara, "the Virgins", for ε, δ, η and ο2 CMa. The significance of the name is unknown. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Canis Major | 2016/08/21 |
| Adhil | HR 390 | 6411 | ξ And | And | From the Arabic word al-dhail, "the train of a robe or dress", used in the Arabic Almagest in describing A and χ And, and transliterated in the Medieval Latin Almagest as adhil. This word was wrongly applied as a star name to ξ And in recent times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Andromeda | 2016/08/21 |
| Ain | HR 1409 | 20889 | ε Tau | Tau | From an abbreviation of the sci-A name ain al-thaur "the Bull's Eye," for a Tau. Applied to ε Tau in recent times (Ptolemy had α Tau the southern eye, and ε Tau on the northern eye). | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Taurus | 2015/12/15 |
| Ainalrami | HR 7116 | 92761 | ν1 Sgr | Sgr | Arabic عين الرامي ʽain al-rāmī (simplified Ainalrami) means The Eye of the Archer. It originates from Arabic Almagest translations. | Arabic | -- | Sagittarius | 2017/09/05 |
| Aiolos | HD 95086 | Car | Aiolos (Αίολος) was the Greek mythological keeper of the winds. In Homer’s Odyssey, Aiolos used an oxhide flask to capture all winds except for the western one, Zephyr. Zephyr then helped the sailboat of Ulysses navigate the seas towards home (Ithaca). | Greek | NEWC Greece: Greek Names related to winds, especially from Homer’s Odyssey and from the poem "The Axion Esti" (1959) by Greek poet Odysseas Elytis (1911-1996; winner of 1979 Nobel Prize for Literature). | 2023/08/01 | |||
| Aladfar | HR 7298 | 94481 | η Lyr | Lyr | Aladfar derives from the Arabic الأظفر al-ʼuẓfur "the talons (of the swooping [eagle])" which designates and asterism consisting of µ and η Lyr. It was made popular by Allen. | Arabic | Allen (1899, 288) | Lyra | 2017/09/05 |
| Alasia | HD 168746 | 90004 | Ser | Alasia is the first historically recorded name of Cyprus, dating back to mid-fifteenth century BCE. | NEWC | 2019 IAU100 NameExoWorlds | Serpens | 2019/12/17 | |
| Albaldah | HR 7264 | 94141 | π Sgr | Sgr | The name of the 21st Arabic lunar station, البلدة, Al-Baldah (The empty area), designates a starless region between ζ Sgr and α Cap; the star π Sgr is at its northern edge and was wrongly attributed with this name by Allen (1899, 359). | Arabic | -- | Sagittarius | 2017/09/05 |
| Albali | HR 7950 | 102618 | ε Aqr | Aqr | From the Arabic word bali(, "swallower", used in an Arabic discussion pertaining to the Arabic lunar mansion name sa(d bula( (given for ε, μ and ν Aqr; of unknown meaning). In recent times the Arabic article al- was added to bali( and the word was applied as a star name. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Aquarius | 2016/09/12 |
| Albireo | HR 7417 | 95947 | α Cyg | Cyg | The formation of this name begins with Ptolemy's name for the constellation Cygnus - ὄρνις, "the Bird". The Arabs transliterated this name as urnis. The Medieval Latin translator of the Arabic Almagest, in turn, did not recognize any Greek word behind urnis (or whatever Arabic corruption he may have read), so he merely transliterated it into a form which appeared int he manuscripts variously as eurisim, eirisun, eirism, etc. In a note appended to this Medieval Latin constellation name for Cygnus, one Latin commentator ventured to derive it from the name of an aromatic herb he knew: ireus. This erroneous commentary read, in brief part: "eirisim...ab ireo", or, "[the constellation name] eirisim...[coming] from [the word] ireus". Apparently in one manuscript of the Latin Almagest, the final word of this commentary, ab ireo, were written on the next line below the constellation title, where the descriptions of the stars begin. Since the first star entered in the Almagest under the constellation Cygnus is β Cyg, the words ab ireo seem to have been confused as a name for this star. "Arabicized" with the insertion of the letter "l", ab ireo, written as "Albireo", was applied as a star name to β Cyg by Renaissance times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Cygnus | 2016/07/20 |
| Alchiba | HR 4623 | 59199 | α Crv | Crv | From the ind-A asterism name al-khibāʾ, “the Tent,” for β, γ, δ and ε Crv. Wrongly applied as a star name to α Crv in recent times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Corvus | 2016/09/12 |
| Alcor | HR 5062 | 65477 | 80 UMa | UMa | Ultimately from the ind-A name al-jaun, for ε UMa, which was transliterated and eventually corrupted in Latin to "Alcor." The name was wrongly transferred to 80 UMa in Renaissance times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Ursa Major | 2016/06/30 |
| Alcyone | HR 1165 | 17702 | η Tau | Tau | These names were individually applied in Renaissance times from a family of characters in Greek mythology: Atlas, Pleione and their seven daughters, the Pleiades. | Greek | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Taurus | 2016/06/30 |
| Aldebaran | HR 1457 | 21421 | α Tau | Tau | Applied in medieval times from its ind-A name al-dabaran, possibly meaning "the Follower," alternatively used as the lunar mansion name for all the Hyades (or again for α Tau alone). The name is thought to refer to this star's following the Pleiades across the sky, or to the Hyades (or α Tau) coming after the Pleiades as a lunar mansion. "Aldebaran" is one of the oldest Arabic star names applied in the West, from the end of the 10th century A.D. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Taurus | 2016/06/30 |
| Alderamin | HR 8162 | 105199 | α Cep | Cep | Applied to α Cep since medieval times. The derivation understood since Renaissance times was from al-dhira (al-)yamin, "the Right Forearm," an assumed sci-A descriptive term for α Cep. But this is apparently erroneous. Firstly, in the Almagest, α Cep is described on the right "shoulder" (Arabic al-katif or al-mankib) of Cepheus, whereas no right "forearm" (al-dhira<) is described for the figure. Secondly, in Arabic, "right forearm" is spelled correctly as al-dhira al-yumna, which (in contrast to al-yamin) lacks assonance in the last syllable to Alderamin. Therefore, it is more likely that Alderamin is derived from the various medieval Western abbreviations of muqaddam al-dhira<ain, "the Preceding One of the Two Cubits, or Forearms," which was a sci-A name (based on ind-A) for α Gem. This would have been wrongly transferred to α Cep in medieval times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Cepheus | 2016/07/20 |
| Aldhanab | HR 8353 | 108085 | γ Gru | Gru | Al Dhanab from Arabic ال ذنب (adh-dhanab), The Tail, became common since its mentioning in Allen (1899). There it is attributed to a Persian astronomer but the whole constellation Grus is a constellation invented in the Early Modern Era. | Arabic | Allen (1899, 238) | Grus | 2017/09/05 |
| Aldhibah | HR 6396 | 83895 | ζ Dra | Dra | ζ and η Draconis together had been considered the asterism of الذئب, al-dhiʼb, Two Hyenas or Two Wolfs that are lurking for the Camel's Foal that is protected by its mother (other stars in Draco). | Arabic | Allen (1899, 210) | Draco | 2017/09/05 |
| Aldulfin | HR 7852 | 101421 | ε Del | Del | Arabic scholarship adopted the Greek loanword "dulfim" or "dulfin" (with article: ad-dulfin or simplified adulfin) for the marine mammal. The star ε Del at the dorsal fin of the Ptolemaic (smaller than ancient Greek) figure was called Al Dhanab al Dulfim (the Dolphin's Tail) and as there are many stars named with the Arabic root for "tail", WGSN adopted only the last part of the name. | Arabic | Allen (1899, 201) | Delphinus | 2017/09/05 |
| Alfirk | HR 8238 | 106032 | β Cep | Cep | Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of the ind-A names kaukaba al-firq (for α and β Cep ), and kawakib al-firq (for α, β , and η Cep). kaukaba and kawakib mean "two stars" and "stars" (more than two), respectively, but the original Arabic script for al-firq can be vocalized in various ways with various meanings. If the vocalization al-firq is accepted, it means "the Flock," and may refer to a flock of sheep here. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Cepheus | 2016/08/21 |
| Algedi | HR 7754 | 100064 | α2 Cep | Cep | Reapplied in recent times (from its older medieval spelling), from the scientific Arabic constellation name al-jady, "the Kid," for Capricornus. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Cepheus | 2016/08/21 |
| Algenib | HR 39 | 1067 | γ Peg | Peg | From the sci-A name al-janb, "the Side," for α Per. Wrongly transferred to γ Peg in Renaissance times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Pegasus | 2016/06/30 |
| Algieba | HR 4057 | 50583 | γ1 Leo | Leo | Applied in recent times from the ind-A lunar mansion name al-jabha "the Forehead," for ζ, γ, η, and α Leo, associated with the ind-A asterism al-asad. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Leo | 2016/07/20 |
| Algol | HR 936 | 14576 | β Per | Per | Applied in medieval times from an abbreviation of its sci-A name ras al-ghul "the Demon's Head" (for Ptolemy's Gorgon-head). "Algol" is one of the oldest Arabic star names applied in the West, from the end of the 10th century A.D. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Perseus | 2016/06/30 |
| Algorab | HR 4757 | 60965 | δ Crv | Crv | From an abbreviation of the sci-A name janab al-ghurab, "the Raven's Wing," for γ Crv. Transferred to δ Crv in Renaissance times (both γ and δ were on the Raven's wings in the Almagest). | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Corvus | 2016/07/20 |
| Alhena | HR 2421 | 31681 | γ Gem | Gem | Applied in recent times from the ind-A lunar mansion name al-bana, possibly meaning "the Mark on the Neck of a Camel," for γ and ξ Gem, or alternatively for γ, ξ, η, μ, and v Gem. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Gemini | 2016/07/20 |
| Alioth | HR 4905 | 62956 | ε UMa | UMa | Ultimately from its ind-A name al-jaun, "the Black Horse, or Bull," which became corrupted even in Arabic sources (where some of the corruptions carried other meanings). For example, in the Arabic manuscript of the Almagest that was translated into Latin in 1175 A.D., this name of ε UMa had apparently been miswritten as al-jauza or al-jauza (the latter being identical to the sci-A name for Orion and Gemini). Whatever was read in this Arabic manuscript was transliterated into Latin as alioze. In subsequent Latin copies, this name was further corrupted to aliore, Alcor, Alioth, etc. Since late medieval times, "Alioth" became the preferred name for ε UMa. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Ursa Major | 2016/06/30 |
| Aljanah | HR 7949 | 102488 | ε Cyg | Cyg | The star used to be commonly named Gienah (cf. Kunitzsch and Smart 2006, Allen 1899) which derives from Arabic al-Janāḥ, The Wing, based on Almagest translations. WGSN adopted the original Arabic word instead of the corrupted one. | Arabic | -- | Cygnus | 2016/06/30 |
| Alkaid | HR 5191 | 67301 | η UMa | UMa | Applied with various spellings since medieval times, from its ind-A name al-qa'id, "the Leader" (probably as leader of the Daughters of the Bier). | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Ursa Major | 2016/06/30 |
| Alkalurops | HR 5733 | 75411 | μ Boo | Boo | The formation of this name begins with one of the words used by Ptolemy to describe this star in the Almagest: κολλόροβον, "club", rarely used as "sphepherd's staff". This word was transliterated into Arabic as qulurubus, and hence into Latin as calurus. Then in Renaissance times, the derivation of calurus was mistakenly attributed to another Greek word: καλαῦροψ, "shepherd's staff". This erroneous word, in its turn, was transliterated into Latin, then Arabicized with the article al-, then its spelling corrupted, to become "Alkalurops", which was thereafter applied as a star name to μ Boo. | Latin | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Bootes | 2016/08/21 |
| Alkaphrah | HR 3594 | 44471 | κ UMa | UMa | corrupted spelling of Arabic القفزة al-qafzah "the leap" of the Indigenous Arabic group of gazelle asterisms preserved in Ibn Qutaybah. | Arabic | -- | Ursa Major | 2017/09/05 |
| Alkarab | HR 8905 | 115623 | υ Peg | Peg | traditional Arabic name Al Karab, The Bucket-rope, was an asterism consisting of τ and υ Peg | Arabic | Allen (1899, 329) | Pegasus | 2017/09/05 |
| Alkes | HR 4287 | 53740 | α Crt | Crt | Applied with various spellings since medieval times, from the sci-A constellation name al-ka's, "the (Wine) Cup," for Crater. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Crater | 2016/09/12 |
| Almaaz | HR 1605 | 23416 | ε Aur | Aur | The Arabic term المعز (al-maʽaz) can refer to the plural "goats" but has also been interpreted as a He-Goat (contrasting Capella, the She-Goat). Allen (1899, 90) cites Hyde's 1665 translation of Ulugh Beg with this term for a group of stars (asterism or sub-constellation) in Auriga. | Arabic | Allen (1899, 90) | Auriga | 2017/02/01 |
| Almach | HR 603 | 9640 | γ And | And | The formation of this name begins with the Arabic name for this star: ʿanaq al-ard, "the Caracal" (a black-eared feline predator found in the Middle East). The Arabs also gave the name in short form as al-ʿanaq, which became transliterated into Medieval Latin as alamac. in Renaissance times, the derivatin of alamac was erroneously attributed to the assumed Arabic word al-maq (properly al-muq) for "the boot" or "buskin", rather than to al-ʿanaq. Subsequently the erroneous word, as "Almaak" and later "Almach" was applied as a star name to γ And, mostly in astronomical works in English. Other, non-English works use the spelling "Alamak" derived directly from the Medieval Latin transliteration. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Andromeda | 2016/07/20 |
| Alnair | HR 8425 | 109268 | α Gru | Gru | Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of its late Arabic name al-nayyir min dhanab al-but, "the Bright One from the Fish's Tail" (where a l6th century Arabic astronomer had extended Ptolemy's Southern Fish [Piscis Austrinus] into what is today Grus). The form Al Na'ir was taken from a wrong transliteration (Al Na'ir) of the Arabic adjective al-nayyir, "the Bright One." | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Grus | 2016/07/20 |
| Alnasl | HR 6746 | 88635 | γ2 Sgr | Sgr | Applied in recent times from its late Arabic name al-nasl, "the Point," in turn an abbreviation of the Arabic Almagest's nasl al-sahm, "the Point of the Arrow." | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Sagittarius | 2016/08/21 |
| Alnilam | HR 1903 | 26311 | ε Ori | Ori | Applied in recent times from the ind-A asterism name al-nizam, "the String of Pearls," for δ, ε, and ζ Ori. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Orion | 2016/07/20 |
| Alnitak | HR 1948 | 26727 | ζ Ori | Ori | Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of the ind-A asterism name nitaq al-jauza, "the Belt (or Girdle) of al-jauza," for δ, ε, and ζ Ori. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Orion | 2016/07/20 |
| Alniyat | HR 6084 | 80112 | σ Sco | Sco | Applied in recent times from the ind-A name al-niyat, "the Arteries", for σ and τ Sco. α Sco, between the arteries, was the ind-A qalb al'aqrab, "the Scorpion's Heart" (all were part of the ind-A Scorpion). | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Scorpius | 2017/02/01 |
| Alphard | HR 3748 | 46390 | α Hya | Hya | Applied in medieval times from its ind-A name al-fard, "the Solitary One," descriptive of this star's standing out among the surrounding dim stars. (See the same word in the plural, with ζ CMa.) | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Hydra | 2016/07/20 |
| Alphecca | HR 5793 | 76267 | α CrB | CrB | Applied in medieval times from the ind-A asterism name al-fakka, for Corona Borealis. The Arabic name, from the root f-k-k, "to separate, break up, etc.," apparently refers to this asterism's shape: an incomplete circle. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Corona Borealis | 2016/07/20 |
| Alpheratz | HR 15 | 677 | α And | And | The specific origin of this name is unclear. It may represent a transfer from β Peg, where alferaz and other variants were applied in medieval times as abbreviations for β Peg's Arabic name mankib al-faras, "the Horse's Shoulder". Or, it may be from an abbreviation of the name alpheraz id est equus, "alpheraz, that is, the Horse", which was applied directly to α And also in medieval times. In any case, Medieval Latin authors confused these two names, their spellings, and their identifications, and the modern application of "Alpheratz" to α And comes down to us from late medieval times. | Arabic | Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. | Andromeda | 2016/06/30 |
Showing 1 to 50 of 496 entries