The Names of Stars
Paul Mayo (C) Copyright 2005


Catalogues of astronomical objects concentrate on providing mean astrophysical data for stars, deep sky objects, and other astronomical objects. These catalogues are frequently utilised by astronomical software applications that use the catalogue data to display the position, size and brightness of objects on star charts.

 

A majority of astronomical catalogues contain other valuable information too, that seems to rarely find its way to the amateur astronomy community. One fine example is the common and historical names of all naked eye Stars contained in the now outdated Yale Bright Star Catalogue (BSC).

 

Not unlike other stellar catalogues, the BSC contains positional information, magnitude and spectral data for each of its 9,096 stars. Some 296 of these entries are catalogued with a star name, and 192 of those are recorded as having been known by one or more other names. Indeed it seems that some of the more well known stars have been known by several names. Take Algol for example, it has or is also known by the names of Gorgona, Gorgonea Prima, Demon Star and El Ghoul.

 

Each star name is scattered throughout the entirity of the BSC and related names are linked in ancillary data files. Software written o extract and collate the Star Name data produced the following table that provides a wealth of information relating to the names of Stars that  I hope readers will find useful.

 

Con

Bay

Fl

Star Name

Vm

H

M

S

Deg

‘

“

Also known as

And

Alp

21

Alpheratz

2.1

00

08

23.3

+29

05

26

Alpherat, Sirrah, Sirah

And

Bet

43

Mirach

2.1

01

09

43.9

+35

37

14

Merach, Mirac, Mirak, Al Mizar

And

Gam1

57

Almaak

2.3

02

03

54.0

+42

19

47

Almach, Alamak, Almak, Almaach

And

Xi 

46

Adhil

4.9

01

22

20.4

+45

31

44

 

Aql

Alp

53

Altair

0.8

19

50

47.0

+08

52

06

Atair

Aql

Bet

60

Alshain

3.7

19

55

18.8

+06

24

24

Alschairn

Aql

Eps

13

Deneb El Okab

4.0

18

59

37.4

+15

04

06

Deneb

Aql

Gam

50

Tarazed

2.7

19

46

15.6

+10

36

48

Reda

Aql

Zet

17

Deneb El Okab

3.0

19

05

24.6

+13

51

48

Deneb

Aqr

Alp

34

Sadalmelik

3.0

22

05

47.0

-00

19

11

Sadalmelek, Sadlamulk, El Melik, Saad El Melik

Aqr

Bet

22

Sadalsuud

2.9

21

31

33.5

-05

34

16

Sadalsud, Sad Es Saud, Sadalsund, Saad El Sund

Aqr

Del

76

Skat

3.3

22

54

39.0

-15

49

15

Scheat, Sheat

Aqr

Eps

2

Albali

3.8

20

47

40.6

-09

29

45

Al Bali

Aqr

Gam

48

Sadalachbia

3.8

22

21

39.4

-01

23

14

Sadachbia

Aqr

Kap

63

Situla

5.0

22

37

45.4

-04

13

41

 

Aqr

The

43

Ancha

4.2

22

16

50.0

-07

47

00

 

Ari

Alp

13

Hamal

2.0

02

07

10.4

+23

27

45

Hemal, Hamul, Ras Hammel

Ari

Bet

6

Sharatan

2.6

01

54

38.4

+20

48

29

Sheratan, Al Sharatain

Ari

Del

57

Botein

4.4

03

11

37.8

+19

43

36

 

Ari

Gam2

5

Mesarthim

4.8

01

53

31.8

+19

17

37

Mesartim, First Star In Aries

Aur

Alp

13

Capella

0.1

05

16

41.4

+45

59

53

Alhajoth

Aur

Bet

34

Menkalinan

1.9

05

59

31.7

+44

56

51

Menkalina

Aur

Eps

7

Al Anz

3.0

05

01

58.1

+43

49

24

Almaaz

Aur

Eta

10

Hoedus Ii

3.2

05

06

30.9

+41

14

04

One Of The Kids

Aur

Iot

3

Hassaleh

2.7

04

56

59.6

+33

09

58

 

Aur

Zet

8

Haedi

3.8

05

02

28.7

+41

04

33

Haedus, Hoedus I, One Of The Kids, Sadatoni, Saclateni

Boo

   

38

Merga

5.7

14

49

18.7

+46

06

58

Marrha, El Mara El Musalsela, Falx Italica

Boo

Alp

16

Arcturus

0.0

14

15

39.7

+19

10

57

Haris-el-sema

Boo

Bet

42

Nekkar

3.5

15

01

56.8

+40

23

26

Merez, Meres

Boo

Eps

36

Izar

2.7

14

44

59.2

+27

04

27

Mirac, Mirak, Mirach, Pulcherrima

Boo

Eta

8

Mufrid

2.7

13

54

41.1

+18

23

52

Muphrid, Mufride, Muphride

Boo

Gam

27

Seginus

3.0

14

32

04.7

+38

18

30

Ceginus, Haris

Boo

Iot

21

Asellus Secondus

4.8

14

16

09.9

+51

22

02

 

Boo

Kap2

17

Asellus Tertius

4.5

14

13

29.0

+51

47

25

 

Boo

Mu 1

51

Alkalurops

4.3

15

24

29.4

+37

22

38

Inkalunis, Icalurus, Clava, Venabulum

Boo

The

23

Asellus Primus

4.1

14

25

11.8

+51

51

03

 

Cap

Alp1

5

Prima Giedi

4.2

20

17

38.9

-12

30

30

Algiedi Prima, Algedi

Cap

Alp2

6

Secunda Giedi

3.6

20

18

03.3

-12

32

41

Algiedi Secunda, Gredi, Algedi

Cap

Bet

9

Dabih

3.1

20

21

00.7

-14

46

53

 

Cap

Del

49

Deneb Algedi

2.9

21

47

02.4

-16

07

38

Deneb Algiedi, Scheddi, Sheddi

Cap

Gam

40

Nashira

3.7

21

40

05.5

-16

39

44

 

Cap

Nu 

8

Alshat

4.8

20

20

39.8

-12

45

33

 

Car

Alp

 

Canopus

-0.7

06

23

57.1

-52

41

45

Suhel, Suhail

Car

Bet

 

Miaplacidus

1.7

09

13

12.0

-69

43

02

 

Car

Eps

 

Avior

1.9

08

22

30.8

-59

30

35

 

Car

Iot

 

Turais

2.3

09

17

05.4

-59

16

31

Tureis, Scutulum, Aspidiske

Cas

Alp

18

Shedir

2.2

00

40

30.5

+56

32

14

Schedar, Schedir

Cas

Bet

11

Caph

2.3

00

09

10.7

+59

08

59

Chaph, Kaff, Al Sanam Al Nakah

Cas

Del

37

Ruchbah

2.7

01

25

49.0

+60

14

07

Rucba, Rucha, Ksora

Cas

Eps

45

Segin

3.4

01

54

23.7

+63

40

12

 

Cas

Eta