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Arabic Star Names by Chinaroad

 

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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.




History of Arabic Star Names
A few 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 star names sprang up later in history, as translations of ancient Greek descriptions. The astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, who lived almost two thousand years ago in Alexandria, Egypt, collected ancient Greek descriptions of 1,025 stars in a book called The Great System of Astronomy, published around the year 150 A.D. Ptolemy's book was translated into Arabic in the 8th and 9th centuries and became famous under its shortened Arabic title, the Almagest. Many of the Arabic-language star descriptions in the Almagest came to be used widely as names for stars. 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.

Proper Name Arabic Name Meaning
A
Acamar Akhir an-Nahr End of the river
Achernar Akhir an-Nahr End of the river
Acrab Al-'Aqrab The scorpion
Acubens Az-Zubana The claw
Adhafera Ad-Dafirah The curl
Adhara Al-'Adhara The maidens
Adib Al-'dhi'b The wolf
Adhil Al-Dyel the Tail
Ain 'Ain "Eye" of the Bull
Albali Al-Bali' The swallower
Alchibah Al-Khiba' The tent
Aldebaran Ad-Dabaran "Follower" of the Pleiades
Alderamin Adh-Dhira' al-Yamin The right forearm
Alfirk Al-Firq The flock
Algedi Al-Jady The goat
Algenib Al-Janb The flank
Algieba Al-Jabhah "The forehead" of the lion
Algebar Al-Jabbar The giant
Algol Al-Ghul The ghoul
Algorab Al-Ghurab The raven
Alhena Al-Han'ah The brand-mark
Alioth Al-Jawn The black horse
Alkaid Al-Qa'id "Leader" of the mourning maidens
Alkes Al-Ka's The cup
Almak 'Anaq al-Ard Earth-kid
Almeisan Al-Maisan The shining one
Alnair An-Nayyir The bright one
Alnair An-Nayyir The bright one
Alnilam An-Nidham The string of pearls
Alnitak An-Nitaq The belt
Alnasl Al-'nasl The arrowhead
Alphard Al-Fard The solitary one
Alphecca Al-Fakkah "The broken" ring of stars
Alpheratz Surrat al-Faras Navel of the steed
Alsafi Al-Athafi The tripods for cooking on Sigma
Alsuhail Suhail Un-translated
Altair At-Ta'ir "The flying" eagle
Altais At-Tinnin The great serpent
Alterf At-Tarf "The glance" of the lion
Aludra Al-'Udhrah The maidenhead
Alula Australis Al-Qafzah al-Ula "the first leap"
Alula Borealis Al-Qafzah al-Ula "the first leap"
Alya Al-Alyah The fatty tail of a sheep
Angetenar 'Arjat an-Nahr Curve of the river
Ankaa Al-'Anka' Phoenix
Arkab Al-'Urqub The heel-tendon
Arneb Al-Arnab The hare
Arrakis Ar-Raqis The dancer
Atik Al-'Atiq "The shoulder" of the Pleiades
Auva Al-'Awwa' The barker
Azha Al-Udhi The hatching-place

B
Baham Al-Biham The livestock
Baten Kaitos Batn Qaytus Belly of Cetus
Beid Al-Baid The eggs
Benetnash Banat Na'sh Daughters of the bier
Betelgeuse Yad al-Jauza' Hand of Orion
Botein Al-Butain The little belly
C
Caph Al-Kaff "The palm" of the Pleiades
Celbalrai Kalb ar-Ra'i The shepherd's dog
Chort Al-Kharat The rib
Cursa Al-Kursi The chair
D
Dabih Sa'd adh-dhabih The lucky star of "the slaughterer"
Deneb Dhanab ad-Dajajah Tail of the fowl
Deneb Dhanab ad-Dulfin Tail of the Dolphin
Deneb Algedi Dhanab al-Jady Tail of the goat
Deneb Kaitos Dhanab Qaytus Tail of Cetus
Denebola Dhanab al-Asad Tail of the lion
Diphda Ad-Difdi' Alawwal The frog
Dschubba Al-Jabhah "The forehead" of the scorpion
Dubhe Kahel Ad-Dubb The back of the bear
Dziban Adh-Dhi'ban The two wolves
E
Edasich Adh-Dhikh The hyena
El Nath An-Nath The butting
Eltanin At-Tinnin The great serpent
Enif Al-Anf The nose
Errai Ar-Ra'i The shepherd
F
Fomalhaut Fam al-Hut Mouth of the fish
Furud Al-Furud "Individual" stars
G
Gienah Al-Janah The wing
Gomeisa Al-Ghumaisa' The bleary-eyed one
H
Hadar Hadar Settled land
Hamal Al-Hamal The ram
Heka Al-Haq'ah The white spot
Homam Sa'd al-humam The lucky star of "the high-minded
I
Izar Al-Izar The girdle, or, The loin-cloth
J
Jabbah Al-Jabhah "The forehead" of the scorpion
K
Kaffaljidhma Al-Kaff al-Jadhma' The cut-short hand
Kaus Australis Al-Qaus The southern one of "the bow"
Kaus Borealis Al-Qaus The northern one of "the bow"
Kaus Media Al-Qaus The middle one of "the bow"
Keid Al-Qaid The broken egg-shells
Kitalpha Qit'at al-Faras Part of the horse
Kokab Al-Kaukab The star
Kurhah Al-Qurhah "The blaze" on a horse's brow
L
Lesath Al-Las'ah The sting
Luh-Denebola dhanab al-asad the lion's tail
M
Maasym Al-Mi'sam The wrist
Maaz Al-Ma'z The he-goat
Marfik Al-Mirfaq The elbow
Markab Mankib al-Faras "The shoulder" of the horse
Matar Sa'd Matar The lucky star of "the rain"
Mebsuta Al-Mabsutah "The outstretched" paw
Megrez Al-Maghriz "The insertion-point" of the Bear's
Meissa Al-Maisan The shining one
Mekbuda Al-Maqbudah "The pulled-in" paw
Menkalinan Mankib Dhi-al-'Inan Shoulder of the rein-holder
Menkar Al-Minkhar The nostril
Menkib Al-Mankib "The shoulder" of the Pleiades
Merak Al-Maraqq The loins
Mintaka Al-Mintaqah The belt
Mirak Al-Mi'zar The loin-cloth
Mirfak Al-Mirfaq "The elbow" of the Pleiades
Mizar miʾzar apron
Mothallah Al-Muthallath The triangle
Muphrid Al-Mufrid The solitary one
Murzim Al-Murzim The roarer
N
Nashira Sa'd Nashirah The lucky star of Nashirah
Nekkar Al-Baqqar The cattleman
Nasl An-Nasl The arrowhead
Nihal An-Nihal The camels quenching their thirst
Nusakan An-Nasaqan The two series
O
Okda Al-'Uqdah The knot
P
Phact Al-Fakhitah The dove
Phad Al-Fakhidh The thigh
Pherkad Al-Farqad The calf
R
Rasalased Ra's al-Asad Head of the lion
Rasalgethi Ra's al-Jathi Head of the kneeling one
Rasalhague Ra's al-Hawwa' Head of the snake-man
Rastaban Ra's ath-Thu'ban Head of the snake
Rigel Ar-Rijl The foot
Rigilkent Rijl Qanturus Foot of the centaur
Risha Ar-Risha' The rope
Rukbah Ar-Rukbah The knee
Rukbat Ar-Rukbah The knee
S
Sabik As-Sabiq The preceding
Sadachbia Sa'd al-Akhbiyah Lucky star of the tents
Sadalbari Sa'd al-Bari' Lucky star of the excellent one
Sadalmelik Sa'd al-Malik Lucky star of the king
Sadalsuud Sa'd as-Su'ud Luck of lucks
Sadr As-Sadr The breast
Saiph As-Saif The sword
Scheat As-Saaed The shoulder
Shaula Ash-Shaulah The raised tail of the scorpion
Shedir As-Sadr The breast
Sheratan Ash-Sharatan The two signs
Sirrah Surrat al-Faras Navel of the steed
Skat As-Saq The leg
Sulafat As-Sulahfah The tortoise
T
Tania Australis Ath-Thaniyah The southern one of "the second" leap
Tania Borealis Ath-Thaniyah The northern one of "the second" leap
Talitha Australis Athalitha The southern one of the third leap
Talitha Borealis Ath-Thalithah The southern one of the third leap
Tarf At-Tarf "The glance" of the lion
Thuban Ath-Thu'ban The snake
U
Unukalhai 'Unuq al-Hayyah Neck of the snake
V
Vega Al-Waqi' "The stooping" eagle
W
Wasat Wasat as-Sama' "Middle" of the sky
Wazn Al-Wazn The weight
Wezen Al-Wazn The weight
Y
Yed Prior Al-Yad The preceding one of "the hand"
Yed Posterior Al-Yad The succeeding one of "the hand"
Z
Zaniah Az-Zawiyah The angle
Zaurac Az-Zawraq The boat
Zavijava Zawiyat al-'Awwa' The angle of al awa
Zubenelgenubi Az-Zuban al-Janubi "Southern Claw"
Zubeneshamali Az-Zuban ash-Shamali "Northern Claw"
 
Wikepedia Web Site

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