Eta Virginis

η Virginis
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 12h 19m 54.4s
Declination −0° 40' 01"
Apparent magnitude (V) +3.89
Distance 250 ± 16 ly
(77 ± 5 pc)
Spectral type A2IV
Other designations
Zaniah, Zannakh, 15 Virginis, HR 4689, HD 107259, BD+00 2926, FK5 460, HIP 60129, SAO 138721, GC 16813, CCDM 12199-0040

Eta Virginis (η Vir, η Virginis) is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Zaniah  /zəˈnaɪ.ə/.

Zaniah is about 204 light years distant from the Sun, and has apparent magnitude +3.9 and is of spectral type A2IV.

Although the star looks single in any telescope, lunar occultations have shown this star to be a very close triple star system consisting of two stars only 0.5 AU apart with a third slightly more distant star.

Because Zaniah is near the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and (very rarely) by planets. On September 1, 329 BC, the ancient Greek astronomer Timocharis observed the star being passed by Venus, when the planet came within an arcminute of it.[1] The last occultation by a planet took place on September 27, 1843, also by Venus, which will occult it again on November 19, 2445.

Etymology

The medieval name Zaniah is from the Arabic زاوية zāwiyah "corner", the same source as Zavijava.

In the catalogue of stars in the Calendarium of Al Achsasi Al Mouakket, this star was designated Thanih al Aoua, which was translated into Latin as Secunda Latratoris, meaning the second barker.[2] This star, along with β Vir(Zavijava), γ Vir (Porrima), δ Vir (Auva) and ε Vir (Vindemiatrix), were Al ʽAwwāʼ, the Barker.[3]

In Chinese, 太微左垣 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán), meaning Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure, refers to an asterism consisting of η Virginis, γ Virginis, δ Virginis, ε Virginis and α Comae Berenices.[4] Consequently, η Virginis itself is known as 太微左垣一 (Tài Wēi Zuǒ Yuán yī, English: the First Star of Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure.)[5], representing 左執法 (Zuǒzhífǎ), meaning The Left Law Administrator[6]. 左執法 (Zuǒzhífǎ), westernized into Tso Chih Fa by R.H. Allen and the meaning is "the Left-hand Maintainer of Law" [7]

References

  1. ^ Fomenko, A. T.; Vi︠a︡cheslavovich, Vladimir Kalashnikov; Nosovskiĭ, Gleb Vladimirovich (1993). Geometrical and statistical methods of analysis of star configurations: dating Ptolemy's Almagest. CRC Press. p. 215. ISBN 0849344832. 
  2. ^ Knobel, E. B. (June 1895). "Al Achsasi Al Mouakket, on a catalogue of stars in the Calendarium of Mohammad Al Achsasi Al Mouakket". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 55: 429. Bibcode 1895MNRAS..55..429K. 
  3. ^ Allen, R. H. (1963). Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (Reprint ed.). New York: Dover Publications Inc. p. 469. ISBN 0486210790. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Topics/astronomy/_Texts/secondary/ALLSTA/Virgo*.html. Retrieved 2010-12-12. 
  4. ^ (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 9789867332257.
  5. ^ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  6. ^ (Chinese) English-Chinese Glossary of Chinese Star Regions, Asterisms and Star Name, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  7. ^ Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Virgo

External links

Stars
Stars of Virgo
Bayer
Flamsteed
Nearby
Galaxy cluster