List of Arabic star names

This is a list of traditional Arabic names for stars. In Western astronomy, most of the accepted star names are Arabic, a few are Greek and some are of unknown origin. Typically only bright stars have names.^[1]

Contents 1 History of Arabic star names 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 D 6 E 7 F 8 G 9 H 10 I 11 J 12 K 13 L 14 M 15 N 16 O 17 P 18 R 19 S 20 T 21 U 22 V 23 W 24 Y 25 Z 26 Others 27 See also 28 References 29 External links

History of Arabic star names

Very old star names originated among people who lived in the Arabian Peninsula more than a thousand years ago, before the rise of Islam. However, many Arabic language star names sprang up later in history, as translations of ancient Greek language descriptions.

The astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in his Almagest (2nd century) tabulated the celestial position and brightness (visual magnitude) of 1,025 stars. Ptolemy's book was translated into Arabic in the 8th and 9th centuries and became famous in Europe as a 12th century Latin translation. Many of the Arabic-language star descriptions in the Almagest came to be widely used as names for stars.

Ptolemy used a strategy of "figure reference" to identify stars according to their position within a familiar constellation or asterism (e.g., "in the right shoulder of The Hunter"). Muslim astronomers adopted some of these as proper names for stars, and added names from traditional Arabic star lore, which they recorded in various Zij treatises. The most notable of these is the Book of Fixed Stars written by the Persian astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (known as Azophi in the West), who thoroughly illustrated all the stars known to him along with their observations, descriptions, positions, magnitudes, brightness, and color.

In Europe, during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, many ancient star names were copied or translated incorrectly by various writers, some of whom did not know the Arabic language very well. As a result, the history of a star's name can be complicated.^[2]

A

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Acamar	Akhir an-Nahr	End of the river "Another River"	اخر النهر
Achernar	Akhir an-Nahr	End of the river "Another River"	اخر النهر
Acrab	Al-'Aqrab	The scorpion	عقرب
Acubens	Az-Zubana	The claw	الزبانى
Adhafera	Ad-Dafirah	The curl "Plexus"	الضفيره
Adhara	Al-'Adhara	The maidens "Virgins"	العذارى
Adib	Al-dhi’b	The wolf	الذئب
Adhil	Al-Dhayl	The tail	الذيل
Ain	'Ain	the "eye" of the Bull "Eye"	عين
Albali	Al-Bali'	The swallower	البالع
Alchibah	Al-Khiba'	The tent	الخباء
Aldebaran	Al-Dabaran	"The follower" of the Pleiades	الدبران
Alderamin	Adh-Dhira' al-Yamin	The right arm	الذراع الايمن
Alfirk	Al-Firq	The flock "Difference"	الفرق
Algedi	Al-Jady	The goat "Capricorn"	الجدي
Algenib	Al-Janb	The flank "Side"	الجنب
Algieba	Al-Jabhah	"The forehead" of the lion "Front"	الجبهة
Algebar	Al-Jabbar	The giant	الجبّار
Algol	Al-Ghul	The ghoul	رأس الغول
Algorab	Al-Ghurab	The raven	الغراب
Alhena	Al-Han'ah	The mark of the brand	الهنعه
Alioth	Al-Jawn	The black horse "John"	الجون
Alkaid	Al-Qa'id	"The leader" of the mourning maidens "Commander"	القائد
Alkes	Al-Ka's	The cup	الكأس
Almak	'Anaq al-Ard	The caracal "Hug the Ground"	عناق الأرض
Almeisan	Al-Maisan	The shining one "Libration"	الميسان
Alnair	An-Nayyir	The bright one "Yoke"	النّيّر
Alnilam	An-Nidham	The string of pearls "Systems"	النّظم
Alnitak	An-Nitaq	The belt "Scale"	النطاق
Alnasl	Al-nasl	The arrowhead "Blade"	النصل
Alphard	Al-Fard	The solitary one "Individual"	الفرد
Alphecca	Al-Fakkah	"The broken" ring of stars "Humorous"	الفكه
Alpheratz	Surrat al-Faras	The navel of the stallion "Navel Persians"	سرة الفرس
Alrescha	Al-Risha'	The ropes	الرشاء
Alsafi	Al-Athafi	The tripods for cooking on Sigma "Andiron"	الأثافي
Alsuhail	Suhail	Untranslatable	سهيل
Altair	Al-Nasr At-Ta'ir	"The flying" eagle	النّسر الطّائر
Altais	At-Tais	The great serpent "Goat"	التيس
Alterf	At-Tarf	"The glance" of the lion "Party"	الطرف
Aludra	Al-'Udhrah	The maidenhead "Faces"	العذره
Alula Australis	Al-Qafzah al-Ula	"the first leap"	القفزةالأولى
Alula Borealis	Al-Qafzah al-Ula	"the first leap"	القفزةالأولى
Alya	Al-Alyah	The fatty tail of a sheep "Mechanism"	الألية
Angetenar	'Arjat an-Nahr	Curve of the river "Winding River"	عرجة النهر
Ankaa	Al-'Anka'	Phoenix	العنقاء
Arkab	Al-'Urqub	The heel-tendon "Achilles"	العرقوب
Arneb	Al-Arnab	The hare	الأرنب
Arrakis	Ar-Raqis	The dancer	الراقص
Atik	Al-'Atiq	"The shoulder" of the Pleiades "Responsibility Chandelier"	عاتق الثّريّا
Auva	Al-'Awwa'	The barker "Howl"	العوّاء
Azha	Al-Udhi	The hatching-place	اشيانة

B

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Baham	Al-Biham	The livestock	سعد البهام
Baten Kaitos	Batn Qaytus	Belly of Cetus	بطن قيطس
Beid	Al-Baid	The eggs	بيض
Benetnash	Banat Na'sh	Daughters of the bier	بنات النعش
Betelgeuse	Yad al-Jauza'	Hand of Gemini	يد الجوزاء
Botein	Al-Butayn	The little belly	بطين

C

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Caph	Al-Kaff	"The palm" of the Pleiades	الكـــف الخضيب
Celbalrai	Kalb ar-Ra'i	The shepherd's dog	كلب الراعي
Chort	Al-Kharat	The rib	الخرت
Cursa	Al-Kursi	The chair	الكرسي

D

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Dabih	Sa'd adh-dhabih	The lucky star of "the slaughterer"	سّعد الذّابح
Deneb	Dhanab ad-Dajajah	Tail of the fowl	ذنب الدجاجة
Deneb Dulfim	Dhanab ad-Dulfin	Tail of the Dolphin	ذنب الدّلفين
Deneb Algedi	Dhanab al-Jady	Tail of the goat	ذنب الجدي
Deneb Kaitos	Dhanab Qaytus	Tail of Cetus	ذنب قيطس
Denebola	Dhanab al-Asad	Tail of the lion	ذنب الاسد
Diphda	Ad-Difda' Al-awwal	The first frog	الضّفدع الأوّل
Dschubba	Al-Jabhah	"The forehead" of the scorpion	الجبهة
Dubhe	Kahil Ad-Dubb	The back of the bear	كاهل الدّب
Dziban	Adh-Dhi'ban	The two wolves	الذئبان

E

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Edasich	Adh-Dhikh	The hyena	الذّيخ
El Nath	An-Nath	The butting	النطح
Eltanin	At-Tinnin	The great serpent	التنين
Enif	Al-Anf	The nose	الأنف
Errai	Ar-Ra'i	The shepherd	الراعي

F

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Fomalhaut	Fam al-Hut	Mouth of the whale	فم الحوت
Furud	Al-Furud	"Individual" stars	الفرد

G

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Gienah	Al-Janah	The wing	الجناح
Gomeisa	Al-Ghumaisa'	The bleary-eyed one	الغميصاء

H

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Hadar	Hadar	Civilization	حضار
Hamal	Al-Hamal	The ram	نيّر الحمل
Heka	Al-Haq'ah	The white spot	الهقعة
Homam	Sa'd al-humam	The lucky star of "the high-minded	سعد الهمام

I

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Izar	Al-Izar	The girdle, or, The loin-cloth	الإزار

J

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Jabbah	Al-Jabhah	"The forehead" of the scorpion	الجبهة

K

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Kabdhilinan	Qabd Al-E'nan	The rein hold	قبض العنان
Kaffaljidhma	Al-Kaff al-Jadhma'	The cut-short hand	الكف الجذماء
Kaus Australis	Al-Qaus	The southern one of "the bow"	القوس
Kaus Borealis	Al-Qaus	The northern one of "the bow"	القوس
Kaus Media	Al-Qaus	The middle one of "the bow"	القوس
Keid	Al-Qaid	The broken egg-shells	القيض
Kitalpha	Qit'at al-Faras	Part of the horse	قطعة الفرس
Kochab	Al-Kaukab	Planet	كوكب
Kurhah	Al-Qurhah	"The blaze" on a horse's brow	القرحة

L

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Lesath	Al-Las'ah	The sting	اللسعة
Luh-Denebola	dhanab al-asad	the lion's tail	ذنب الليث

M

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Maasym	Al-Mi'sam	The wrist	معصم الثّريّا
Maaz	Al-Ma'z	The he-goat	المعز
Marfik	Al-Mirfaq	The elbow	المرفق
Markab	Mankib al-Faras	"The shoulder" of the horse	منكب الفرس
Matar	Sa'd Matar	The lucky star of "the rain"	سعد مطر
Mebsuta	Al-Mabsutah	"The outstretched" paw	الذّراع المبسوطه
Megrez	Al-Maghriz	"The insertion-point" of the Bear's	مغرز
Meissa	Al-Maisan	The shining one	الميسان
Mekbuda	Al-Maqbudah	"The pulled-in" paw	الذّراع المقبوضة
Menkalinan	Mankib Dhi-al-'Inan	Shoulder of the rein-holder	منكب ذي العنان
Menkar	Al-Minkhar	The nostril	المنخر
Menkib	Al-Mankib	"The shoulder" of the Pleiades	منكب الثّريّا
Merak	Al-Maraqq	The loins	المراق
Mintaka	Al-Mintaqah	The belt	المنطقة
Mirak	Al-Mi'zar	The loin-cloth	المراق
Mirfak	Al-Mirfaq	"The elbow" of the Pleiades	مرفق الثّريّا
Mizar	miʾzar	apron	المئزر
Mothallah	Al-Muthallath	The triangle	المثلث
Muphrid	Al-Mufrid	The solitary one	المفرد
Murzim	Al-Murzim	The roarer	المرزم

N

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Nashira	Sa'd Nashirah	The lucky star of Nashirah	سعد ناشرة
Nekkar	Al-Baqqar	The cattleman	البقار
Nasl	An-Nasl	The arrowhead	النصل
Nihal	An-Nihal	The camels quenching their thirst	النهال
Nusakan	An-Nasaqan	The two series	النسقان

O

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Okda	Al-'Uqdah	The knot	العقدة

P

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Phact	Al-Fakhitah	The dove	فاخثة
Phad	Al-Fakhidh	The thigh	فخذ
Pherkad	Al-Farqad	The calf	فرقد

R

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Rasalased	Ra's al-Asad	Head of the lion	رأس الأسد
Rasalgethi	Ra's al-Jathi	Head of the kneeling one	رأس الجاثي
Rasalhague	Ra's al-Hawwa'	Head of the snake-man	رأس الحوّاء
Rastaban	Ra's ath-Thu'ban	Head of the snake	رأس الثعبان
Rigel	Ar-Rijl	The foot	رجل الجبّار
Rigilkent	Rijl Qanturus	Foot of the centaur	رجل قنطورس
Risha	Ar-Risha'	The rope	الرشاء
Rukbah	Ar-Rukbah	The knee	الركبة
Rukbat	Ar-Rukbah	The knee	ركبة الرامي

S

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Sabik	As-Sabiq	The preceding	سابق
Sadachbia	Sa'd al-Akhbiyah	Lucky star of the tents	سعد الاخبية
Sadalbari	Sa'd al-Bari'	Lucky star of the excellent one	سعد بارع
Sadalmelik	Sa'd al-Malik	Lucky star of the king	سعد الملك
Sadalsuud	Sa'd as-Su'ud	Luck of lucks	سعد السعود
Sadr	As-Sadr	The breast	الصدر
Saiph	As-Saif	The sword	سيف
Scheat	As-Sa'id	The shoulder	الساعد
Shaula	Ash-Shaulah	The raised tail of the scorpion	الشولة
Shedir	As-Sadr	The breast	الصدر
Sheliak	Alshelaiyak	-	الشلياق
Sheratan	Ash-Sharatan	The two signs	الشرطان
Sirrah	Surrat al-Faras	Belly-button of the female horse	سرة الفرس
Skat	As-Saq	The leg	الساق
Sulafat	As-Sulhafat	The tortoise	السلحفاة

T

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Tania Australis	Ath-Thaniyah	The southern one of "the second" leap	القفزة الثّانية
Tania Borealis	Ath-Thaniyah	The northern one of "the second" leap	القفزة الثّانية
Talitha Australis	Athalitha	The southern one of the third leap	القفزة الثّالثة
Talitha Borealis	Ath-Thalithah	The northern one of the third leap	القفزة الثّالثة
Tarf	At-Tarf	"The glance" of the lion	الطرف
Thuban	Ath-Thu'ban	The snake	الثعبان
Thuraya	The Pleiades	The height and brightness	الثريا

U

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Unukalhai	'Unuq al-Hayyah	Neck of the snake	عنق الحية

V

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Vega	Al-Waqi'	"The stooping" eagle	النسر الواقع

W

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Wasat	Wasat as-Sama'	"Middle" of the sky	وسط
Wazn	Al-Wazn	The weight	الوزن
Wezen	Al-Wazn	The weight	الوزن

Y

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Yed Prior	Al-Yad	The preceding one of the Snake Man's hand	مقدّم يدالحوّاء
Yed Posterior	Al-Yad	The succeeding one of the Snake Man's hand	مؤخّر يدالحوّاء

Z

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Zaniah	Az-Zawiyah	The angle	الزاوية
Zaurac	Az-Zawraq	The boat	زورق
Zavijava	Zawiyat al-'Awwa'	The angle of al awa	زاوية العواء
Zubenelgenubi	Az-Zuban al-Janubi	"Southern Claw"	زبانى/الزبان الجنوبي
Zubeneshamali	Az-Zuban ash-Shamali	"Northern Claw"	زبانى/الزبان الشمالي

Others

Common name	Arabic name (transliteration)	Meaning	Arabic name
Milky Way	Kahkashan[3]	is the Persian word for the Milky Way
Andromeda Galaxy	"small cloud"[4][5]	"little cloud" was the Arabic name for the modern Andromeda Galaxy, which was first discovered by Al-Sufi, and mentioned in his Book of Fixed Stars

See also

• Islamic astronomy
• List of traditional star names
• List of proper names of stars

References

1. ^ "Stargazing Network". Stargazing.net. http://www.stargazing.net/david/constel/starnames.html. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
2. ^ "Star Names: Where Do They Come From? And Can You Buy One?", RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium Information Bulletin #19 December 1996, (archived 2007)
3. ^ "۞ Biruni - Elements of the Art of Astrology PDF eBook". Antiochgate.com. http://www.antiochgate.com/14_biruni_elements_of_astrology.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
4. ^ Henbest, N.; Couper, H. (1994). The guide to the galaxy. p. 31. ISBN 052145882X. http://books.google.com/?id=-TI4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA31&dq&q=. 
5. ^ Kepple, G. R.; Sanner, G. W. (1998). The Night Sky Observer's Guide. Vol. 1. Willmann-Bell. p. 18. ISBN 0-943396-58-1. 

• Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP) website, which in turn cites
  • Paul Kunitzch, Tim Smart, Short Guide to Modern Star Names and Their Derivations (1986);
  • Guy Ottewell, The Astronomical Companion;
  • Abdul-Rahim Bader, Rasd al-Sama' ("Observing the Sky");
  • Hamid Al-Naimy Elm al-Falak ("Astronomy").

External links

• ICOP: Arabic Star Names
• Kaler, James, "Star Names: Proper Names", University of Illinois
• The Astronomy Corner: Reference – Star Names v1.1.2 (2006-05-28)
• Lebling, Robert W., "Arabic in the Sky", Saudi Aramco World magazine, September/October 2010, v.61, n.5

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Astronomy in medieval Islam Astronomers 8th century Ahmad Nahavandi Al-Fadl ibn Naubakht Ibrāhīm al-Fazārī and his son Mashallah ibn Athari 9th century Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi Abu Said Gorgani Al-Farghānī Al-Kindi Al-Mahani Al-Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf ibn Maṭar Al-Marwazi 'Ali ibn 'Isa al-Asturlabi Banu Musa Brothers Iranshahri Khālid ibn ʿAbd al‐Malik Al-Khwārizmī Sahl ibn Bishr Thābit ibn Qurra Yaʿqūb ibn Ṭāriq 10th century Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi Abu-Mahmud Khojandi Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin Abū Sahl al-Qūhī Abū al-Wafā' Būzjānī Ahmad ibn Yusuf Al-Battani Alchabitius Al-Nayrizi Al-Saghani Ibn Yunus Ibrahim ibn Sinan 11th century Abu Nasr Mansur Al-Bīrūnī Al-Zarqālī Alhazen Avicenna Ibn al-Saffar Kushyar ibn Labban Said Al-Andalusi Sijzi 12th century Al-Bitruji Al-Kharaqī Al-Khazini Al-Samaw'al Anvari Ibn al-Kammad Jabir ibn Aflah Omar Khayyám Sharaf al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī 13th century Ibn al-Banna' al-Marrakushi Ibn al‐Ha'im al‐Ishbili Jamal ad-Din Muhyi al-Dīn al-Maghribī Nasir al-Din al-Tusi Qotb al-Din Shirazi Shams al-Dīn al-Samarqandī Zakariya al-Qazwini Ibn Abi al-Shukr Mu'ayyad al-Din al-'Urdi 14th century Ibn al-Shatir Kamāl al-Dīn Fārisī Shams al-Dīn Abū Abd Allāh al-Khalīlī 15th century Ali Qushji Jamshīd al-Kāshī Qāḍī Zāda al-Rūmī Ulugh Beg Sibt al-Mardini 16th century Al-Birjandi Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī Piri Reis Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf Works ʿAjā'ib al-makhlūqāt wa gharā'ib al-mawjūdāt Arabic star names Book of Optics Encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity Islamic calendar Star chart Tabula Rogeriana The Book of Healing Zij: Alfonsine tables Almanac Astronomical catalog Book of Fixed Stars Star catalogue Toledan Tables Trigonometry table Zij-i Ilkhani Zij-i-Sultani Instruments Alidade Analog computer Aperture Armillary sphere Astrolabe Astronomical clock Celestial globe Compass Compass rose Dioptra Equatorial ring Equatorium Globe Graph paper Magnifying glass Mural instrument Navigational astrolabe Nebula Planisphere Quadrant Sextant Shadow square Spherical astrolabe Sundial Telescope Triquetrum Concepts Almucantar Apogee Astrophysics Axial tilt Azimuth Celestial mechanics Celestial spheres Circular orbit Deferent and epicycle Earth's rotation Eccentricity Ecliptic Elliptic orbit Equant Galaxy Geocentrism Gravitational potential energy Gravity Heliocentrism Inertia Islamic cosmology Moonlight Multiverse Muslim views on astrology Obliquity Parallax Precession Qibla Salat times Specific gravity Spherical Earth Starlight Sublunary sphere Sunlight Supernova Temporal finitism Trepidation Triangulation Tusi-couple Universe Centers Al-Azhar University House of Knowledge House of Wisdom Islamic observatories Istanbul observatory of Taqi al-Din Madrasah Maragheh observatory Observatory Research institute Samarkand observatory Umayyad Mosque University of Al-Karaouine Influences Babylonian astronomy Egyptian astronomy Hellenistic astronomy Indian astronomy Influenced Byzantine astronomy Chinese astronomy European astronomy Indian astronomy