The Greek alphabet
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Star naming
Many stars have proper names, for example Polaris, Castor and Pollux.
A commonly used system for naming the stars was introduced by German astronomer Johann Bayer. This system makes use of Greek letters, here called Bayer letters, together with Latin genitive of the star's constellation, for example Polaris = α Ursae Minoris. The fundamental principle is to assign the letter alpha to the brightest star, beta to the second brightest and so on, but there are many exceptions. Some stars are even named after one constellation, but actually, they are situated in another constellation nearby.
There are stars that do not have a Bayer letter. Some of these, for example the star Alcor in the constellation Ursa Major, have a Flamsteed number. The genitive of the Latin name of the star's constellation is used together with this number. The star Alcor is called 80 Ursae Majoris. Flamsteed numbers were introduced by English astronomer John Flamsteed.
List of 226 stars
Andromedaα Alpheratz or Sirrah β Mirach γ Almach ξ Adhil |
Aquariusα Sadalmelik β Sadalsuud γ Sadachbia δ Skat ε Albali θ Ancha κ Situla |
Aquilaα Altair β Alshain γ Tarazed |
Ariesα Hamal β Sheratan γ Mesarthim δ Botein |
Aurigaα Capella β Menkalinan |
Boötesα Arcturus β Nekkar γ Seginus ε Izar or Pulcherrima η Muphrid μ Alkalurops h Merga |
Cancerα Acubens or Sertan γ Asellus Borealis δ Asellus Australis ζ Tegmine |
Canes Venaticiα Cor Caroli β Chara |
Canis Majorα Sirius β Mirzam γ Muliphein δ Wezen ε Adhara ζ Furud η Aludra |
Canis Minorα Procyon β Gomeisa |
Capricornusα Algedi or Giedi β Dabih γ Nashira δ Deneb Algedi |
Carinaα Canopus or Suhel β Miaplacidus ε Avior ι Aspidiske |
Cassiopeiaα Shedar β Caph δ Ruchbah |
Centaurusα Rigil Kentaurus or Toliman or Bungula α C Proxima β Hadar or Agena γ Muhlifain ζ Alnair θ Menkent |
Cepheusα Alderamin β Alfirk γ Errai μ "The Garnet Star" ξ Kurhah |
Cetusα Menkar β Diphda or Deneb Kaitos ζ Baten Kaitos ο Mira |
Columbaα Phact β Wazn |
Corona Borealisα Alphecca or Gemma β Nusakan |
Corvusα Alchiba γ Gienah δ Algorab |
Craterα Alkes |
Cruxα Acrux β Mimosa γ Gacrux |
Cygnusα Deneb or Arided β Albireo γ Sadr ε Gienah π1 Azelfafage |
Delphinusα Sualocin β Rotanev |
Dracoα Thuban or Adib β Rastaban or Alwaid γ Eltanin δ Altais ι Edasich λ Giausar μ Alrakis ξ Grumium |
Equuleusα Kitalpha |
Eridanusα Achernar β Cursa γ Zaurak ζ Zibal η Azha θ Acamar or Dalim ο1 Beid ο2 Keid 43 (or d) Theemin |
Geminiα Castor β Pollux γ Alhena δ Wasat ε Mebsuta ζ Mekbuda η Propus μ Tejat |
Grusα Al Na'ir |
Herculesα Rasalgethi β Kornephoros or Rutilicus κ Marsic λ Maasym ω Cujam |
Hydraα Alphard |
Leoα Regulus β Denebola γ Algieba δ Zosma or Duhr ζ Adhafera θ Chertan or Coxa λ Alterf μ Rasalas ο Subra |
Lepusα Arneb β Nihal |
Libraα Zubenelgenubi β Zubeneschamali |
Lyraα Vega β Sheliak γ Sulafat |
Ophiuchusα Rasalhague β Cebalrai δ Yed Prior ε Yed Posterior η Sabik λ Marfik |
Orionα Betelgeuse β Rigel γ Bellatrix δ Mintaka ε Alnilam ζ Alnitak κ Saiph λ Meissa or Heka |
Pavoα Peacock |
Pegasusα Markab β Scheat γ Algenib ε Enif ζ Homam η Matar θ Biham μ Sadalbari |
Perseusα Mirfak or Algenib β Algol ξ Menkib ο Atik |
Phoenixα Ankaa or Nair al Zaurak |
Piscesα Alrescha |
Piscis Austrinusα Fomalhaut |
Puppisζ Naos ρ Tureis |
Sagittaα Sham |
Sagittariusα Rukbat or Alrami β Arkab γ Alnasl or Nushaba δ Kaus Media ε Kaus Australis ζ Ascella λ Kaus Borealis σ Nunki |
Scorpiusα Antares β Acrab or Graffias δ Dschubba θ Girtab or Sargas λ Shaula σ Al Niyat υ Lesath |
Serpensα Unukalhai θ Alya |
Taurusα Aldebaran β Elnath ε Ain η Alcyone 16 Celaeno 17 Electra 19 Taygeta 20 Maia 21 Sterope or Asterope 23 Merope 27 Atlas 28 Pleione |
Triangulumα Mothallah |
Triangulum Australeα Atria |
Ursa Majorα Dubhe β Merak γ Phecda δ Megrez ε Alioth ζ Mizar η Alkaid or Benetnasch ι Talitha λ Tania Borealis μ Tania Australis ν Alula Borealis ξ Alula Australis ο Muscida 80 Alcor |
Ursa Minorα Polaris or Alrucaba β Kochab γ Pherkad δ Yildun |
Velaγ Regor κ Markeb λ Suhail |
Virgoα Spica or Azimech β Zavijava γ Porrima ε Vindemiatrix or Almuredin η Zaniah ι Syrma |
See also
Notes
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When a line begins with "or", it means that the line
describes an alternative name of
the star mentioned on the previous line. The following example means that both Alpheratz and Sirrah are alternative names of
α Andromedae.
-
Andromeda
α Alpheratz
or Sirrah
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Sources
- Paul Kunitzsch and Tim Smart: A Dictionary of Modern Star Names (2006)
In other languages
- Stjernenavne på himlen (Danish)
- Stjernenavn (Norwegian)
Corrections
We regret the following errors in this list:
- "Muliphein" was earlier misspelled as "Mulphein".
- "Dabih" was earlier misspelled as "Dahib".
- "Shedar" was earlier misspelled as "Schedar".
- "Zubeneschamali" was earlier misspelled as "Zubenschamali".
- "Algenib" was earlier misspelled as "Alegenib"
- "Ophiuchus" was earlier misspelled as "Ophiucus"
The errors are now corrected.