Xi Cephei

Xi Cephei
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Cepheus
Right ascension 22h 03m 47.40s[1]
Declination +64° 37′ 40.71″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.29[1]
Other designations
17 Cep, HR 8417, HD 209790, SAO 19827, HIP 108917.
Database references
SIMBAD data

Xi Cephei (ξ Cep, ξ Cephei) is a star in the constellation Cepheus. It has the traditional name Kurhah or Alkirdah or Al Kirduh[2], and the name was from Al Ḳurḥaḥ (القرحة - al-qurhah), an Arabic word that translated as a white spot, or blaze, in the face of a horse and other suggestion was Al Ḳirdah (ألقردة - al qírada), the Ape.[3] Xi Cephei belongs to spectral class A3/6Vm and has apparent magnitude +4.29. It is approximately 100 light years from Earth.

Coordinates (equinox J2000.0):

It is a spectroscopic binary.

In Chinese, 天鈎 (Tiān Gōu), meaning Celestial Hook, refers to an asterism consisting of ξ Cephei, 4 Cephei, HD 194298, η Cephei, θ Cephei, α Cephei, 26 Cephei, ι Cephei and ο Cephei.[4] Consequently, ξ Cephei itself is known as 天鈎六 (Tiān Gōu liù, English: the Sixth Star of Celestial Hook.)[5].

References

  1. ^ a b c "V* ksi Cep -- Spectroscopic binary". SIMBAD. Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=ksi+Cep. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
  2. ^ Islamic Crescent Project: Star names
  3. ^ Allen, R. H. (1963). Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (Reprint ed.). New York: Dover Publications Inc. p. 159. ISBN 0486210790. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Topics/astronomy/_Texts/secondary/ALLSTA/Cepheus*.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 978-986-7332-25-7.
  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.
Stars of Cepheus
Bayer
Flamsteed
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Other