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Naga

2026-02-19T04:41:48Z

Cheungszeleung: /* The Evolutionary Path: From India to the Islands */

Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----
[[File:LintangNAGA.jpg|thumb|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.752)]]
[[File:Naga.png|thumb|Lintang Naga in lontar Prasi Palelintangan (CC-BY Alfred Maaß, (1929), Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen)]]
[[File:Stellarium-20251010-212838262.png|thumb|Balinese constellation: Naga (a dragon), re-drawn by Jessica Gullberg for the planetarium software Stellarium (CC-BY Youla Azkarrula & Jessica Gullberg)]]
Naga is a constellation used in several Indonesian sky culture. It projects mythological dragon into the sky. The dragon as a religious/divine creature that exists in many cultures in South East Asia from India to Indonesia (e.g. Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China ...).

The Balinese astral calendar "Palelintangan" has "Naga" as one of 35 "lintang" (constellations).<ref name=":2">Maass, Alfred, “Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen,” in Koninklijk Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, Feestbundel bij gelegenheid van zijn 150 jarig bestaan 1778-1928, 2 vols. (Weltevreden, 1929), Vol. 2, 126-157.</ref> There naga is found in intersection of Wraspati (Thursday, in saptawara) and Kliwon (in pancawara) in a series of [[Balinese (All Terms)|palelintangan]].

==Etymology and History==
Naga (IPA: /ˈna.ɡa/, [ˈna.ɡa]) is inherited from Malay naga, and derived from Sanskrit नाग, nāgá, means “large snake”. Some languages borrow Sanskrit terms and have the same meaning as snake, namely: Iban, Indonesia, Italian, Javanese, Malay, Marano, Portuguese, Tagalog and Yakan.

=== Variants (name, spelling...) ===
The constellation in the sky is always called "Naga" but the divine creature has the following name variants (for explanation see below):
*Naga Besukih
*Antaboga
*Taksaka

=== Origin of Constellation ===
On Bali, Naga are legendary creatures and exist in the folklore of almost every tribe and civilization in the world. Naga could be referred to as a big snake, a big water snake or a dragon. Unlike in some civilizations which consider dragons to be evil monsters, in Bali, dragons are considered to be sacred figures who are able to guard the island of Bali. Apart from that, there are quite a few depictions of dragons in several places such as temples, houses, government offices and former buildings left over from the Balinese kingdom. Sometimes they also make dragon ornaments on keris (traditional Balinese dagger).

==== General information ====

[[File:AlfredMaas1929 Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen ocr IdentTab cut.jpg|thumb|Identification of Balinese constellations (Maaß 1929, appendix). ]]
The astronomical identification of the constellation is taken from Maaß (1929)<ref name=":2" /> who explains in general that these constellations and the according ritual practice <blockquote>"sind seit alten Zeiten in einem Werk ,,wariga" niedergelegt, in dem wir zwei Kulturschichten, nämlich indische und malaio-polynesische Bestandteile wiederfinden." </blockquote><blockquote>'''English:''' "are written down in a work called "wariga" since old times; there we recognise two cultural layers, i.e. the Indian and the Malayo-Polynesian."</blockquote>He also quotes other scholars<ref>Friedrich, R. (1849). Voorloopig verslag van het eiland Bali, Batavia, Verb. Bat Gen. Deel 23, Nr. 13</ref><ref>HINLOOPEN LABBERT0N, D. VAN (1910). Geillustreerd handboek van Insulinde. Amsterdam: "Vivat"</ref><ref>PIGEAUD, TH. (1925). Een stuk over sterrenkunde uit het Anggastyaparwwa ...... Weltevreden: Albrecht. Tijdsch. v. lnd, T.-, L.- en Vk. deel LXV</ref><ref>Nieuwenkamp, W. O. J. (1905), Schetsen van Bali en Lombok. (Eigen Haard)</ref> and his earlier work<ref>MAASS, ALFRED (1920). Sterne und Sternbilder im malaiischen Archipel. Berlin. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie Jg. 1920/21, H. 1</ref><ref>MAASS, ALFRED (1924). Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel. Batavia, den Haag. Tijdsch. v. T.-, L.-en Vk. deel LX IV</ref> reporting that this work dates back to the 9th century CE when Bali was part of a Hindu empire on the neighbouring island of Java.<ref name=":2" /> Neubronner van der Tuuk even uses the Old Javanese spelling.

==== Identification ====
The identifications, Maaß (1929) gives according to the aforementioned and his own studies during visits of the country and in European and Batavian libraries (p.150).<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Naga Maass1929.jpg|center|thumb|1155x1155px|Naga in the identification table by Maaß (1929). He calls the creature a dragon but identifies "Wasserschlange(?)" = Hydra. ]]

Maaß (1929), p. 144: "eine Schlange. Bösartig und schlau; - sehr schlechte Denkungsart;" '''English:''' - a snake. Malicious and cunning; - very bad way of thinking;
==== Naga in India ====
Nāga, in Sanskrit and almost all Indian languages means a snake or cobra. Although it is not explicitly used as a name for any constellation the constellation Āśleṣā ([[Ashlesha]]), is recognised as the head of a snake.

Mythological stories involving snakes are abundant. For example, the ascending and descending nodes of the moon are called Rāhu and Ketu. Rahu has a human head and the body of a snake; it is the converse for Ketu. They both emerge as the two individual bodies when a demon’s head was chopped off. Snake worship is very common in India; people install stone idols of snakes even today.

==== Naga in other South Asian Cultures ====
"Naga" creatures exist in many Southeast Asian cultures.

===== Modern Distinctions: Bali vs. Mainland Southeast Asia (SEA) =====
While they share a name, the "taxonomical" differences between the two today are significant:

* Anatomy: Mainland SEA Nagas (Thailand/Cambodia/Laos/Myanmar) are fundamentally multi-headed serpents (3, 5, 7, or 9 heads). In contrast, the Balinese Naga is almost always single-headed.
* Visual Style: The Balinese Naga is a "Royal Dragon"—it wears a crown (''Makuta''), earrings, and often has a beard. The Mainland version is more serpentine, emphasizing the flared cobra hood.
* Symbolic Meaning: In the mainland, Nagas are primarily Guardians of the Buddha and water spirits. In Bali, they are Cosmic Stabilizers tied to the volcanic earth and the support of the world.

===== Evidence of a Shared Origin =====
Despite these modern differences, two key pieces of evidence link them to a singular source:

* Evidence 1: The Cosmic Churning (Cosmology) Both regions root their Naga lore in the Indian myth of the ''Samudra Manthan'' (Churning of the Ocean of Milk). In Bali, this is the ''Adi Parwa''. The use of the Naga (Basuki) as the "churning rope" wrapped around a cosmic mountain is a shared blueprint that defines the spiritual architecture of both Balinese temples and Khmer monuments like Angkor Wat.
* Evidence 2: The Naga-Ship Tradition The "Naga-boat" is a cross-cultural phenomenon. Whether it is the Chinese Dragon Boat, the Mekong Naga Boats, or the Balinese Ritual Naga-Banda, they all share the belief that the boat is the physical body of the water-serpent. This tradition stems from an ancient "Monsoon Culture" where the river was seen as a living Naga that one must "ride" to navigate the world.

===== The Evolutionary Path: From India to the Islands =====
The divergence occurred based on the "cultural filter" through which the Indian Naga traveled:

# The Indian Root (c. 1500 BCE): Originated as the Vedic ''Vritra'' and later the Puranic ''Shesha/Vasuki''.
# The Buddhist Branch (Mainland SEA): Traveled via land and sea to Angkor. It merged with local snake-worship to become the multi-headed protector of the Dharma.
# The Javanese-Balinese Branch (Indonesia): Traveled via maritime trade routes. It was "ennobled" by Javanese court culture, gaining the crown and royal regalia, and was eventually re-contextualized to fit the volcanic landscape of Bali.

They are "taxonomically" distinct now. One can think of them like the Lion and the Tiger: they are both "Big Cats", but they have lived in different jungles for so long that they have developed different stripes.

In conclusion, the Balinese "Naga" is distinct regarding modern iconography, but the underlying "DNA" remains a shared heritage of the broader Indo-Pacific maritime exchange.

=== Transfer and Transformation ===

==== ... of the Constellation ====

==== Interpretations of Naga in different cultures ====
<gallery>
File:Naga - Buddhism.jpg|Naga in Cambodia. The term Naga in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism denotes divine. (CC BY Dmitry Makeev).
File:Naga China smh 20240302 155352.jpg|modern park decoration in shape of a Naga-like dragon in Hefei, China
File:A Naga, a half-man, half-snake creature (4188438144).jpg|A Naga, a half-man, half-snake creature (CC BY Greg Willis).
File:Olbrich Botanical Garden Naga Dragon Statue.jpg|Naga dragon statue at Olbrich Botanical Garden (CC BY צבוע לבנה).
File:Wat Si Saket Vientiane 5.jpg|Believed to be Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple, Wat Si Saket is famous for its cloister wall and rows of hundreds of seated Buddhas. (CC BY Philip Nalangan)
File:Naga and Naga Kanya (snake god and goddess), from the Gond Country on the Nerbudda - DPLA - 657678574197483a1cccd123b2404d5f.jpg|Naga and Naga Kanya (snake god and goddess), from the Gond Country on the Nerbudda (CC0 between 1850 and 1873 ).
File:Angkor naga.jpg|Seven-headed ''naga'' from the entrance of an Angkor Thom gate (CC BY Gisling(zh:唐戈))
</gallery>

== Mythology / Religion ==

=== Naga Besukih (Bali) ===
The presence of the Balinese mythological creature, Naga Besukih, cannot be separated from the folklore about the formation of the Bali Strait. The story involves Manik Angkeran who was the son of a Brahmin named Sidi Mantra.

Sidi Mantra was famous for his supernatural powers while his son, although brave and clever, apparently had a penchant for gambling which made him in debt. To free himself from debt, Sidi Mantra told Manik Angkeran to ask for a little treasure guarded by Naga Besukih in the crater of Mount Agung.

The dragon agreed to the request. However, Manik apparently repeated his bad habits so he secretly returned to Naga Besukih to give him help. Blinded by the treasure stored in Naga Besukih's body, Manik cut off the dragon's tail.

With his supernatural powers, Besukih managed to burn Manik to ashes when the dragon licked his tracks. Sidi Mantra then begged Naga Besukih to revive his son on the condition that his tail be returned.

With his magical powers, Sidi Mantra managed to restore the Dragon's tail and the child came back to life. Manik then apologized and promised not to repeat his actions. After disappearing, a water source appeared where Manik stood, which grew larger and larger. With his stick, Sidi Mantra made a dividing line with the child. That place later became the Bali Strait.

=== Antaboga ===
Antaboga or Anantaboga is a Balinese mythological creature who rules snakes from a puppet story. This creature has the form of a dragon snake with a crown and a gold necklace. According to local beliefs, Antaboga has many powers and one of them is the ability to revive dead bodies. This creature is said to live in Saptapralata or the seventh layer of the earth's base. He has a wife named Dewi Supreti who also has the form of a dragon and two children named Bambang Naga Tatmala and Dewi Nagini.

=== Taksaka ===
Taksaka or Taksa is one of the dragons, the son of Dewi Kadru and Kashyapa who lives in Nagaloka with his other brothers. In the Mahabharata legend, Naga Taksaka is the dragon who killed King Parikesit.

The story of Taksaka appears in the Adiparwa story where Dewi Kadru asks Resi Kasyapa to grant her a thousand children. Bagawan Kasyapa then gives a thousand eggs, from which dragons emerge, one of which is Taksaka. But in Balinese mythology, Taksaka is not a dragon but a snake who lives in Kahyangan.

=== Image Variants ===
<gallery>
File:Naga.png|Lintang Naga (CC-BY Alfred Maaß, (1929), Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen)
File:LinNAGA.jpg|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.746)
File:LintangNAGA.jpg|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.752)
File:Lintang Naga2.jpg|Lintang Naga (CC-BY Youla Azkarrula taken in the ceiling of Taman Gili Klungkung Palace Bali)
</gallery>

== Cultural Beliefs ==

=== Numerology (Neptu/Urip) ===
Wraspati (Thursday, in saptawara) has a value of 8 and Kliwon (in pancawara) has a value of 8. Thus, the total urip on this lintang is 16.<ref name=":0">Tim Kajian Palelintangan, “Gabungan Kajian Palelintangan,” Museum Bali (2021), 1-149.</ref>

=== Astrological Characteristics ===
Often makes trouble for his enemies, his joys and sorrows are balanced, has talent in literature, always performs praises to God and is firm in meditation. His mantras and curses are bathing. Has many memories, has a clean heart. Unfortunately they are very easily offended and sensitive so that with this nature they are often swayed by their own feelings.<ref name=":0" />

=== Matching Gemstones ===
Biduri bulan (moon stone), Nila (saphire), Kalimayah (Opal).<ref name=":0" />

== All HIP Stars within this constellation ==
==== Stars within the Constellation Area ====
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+
|-
! id
! Label
! IAU design.
! description
! Vmag
|-
| 1
| Alphard
| HIP 46390
| within constellation lines
| 1.97
|-
| 2
| Gienah
| HIP 59803
| Inside the Hull
| 2.58
|-
| 3
| Kraz
| HIP 61359
| Inside the Hull
| 2.64
|-
| 4
| ϵ Corvi
| HIP 59316
| Inside the Hull
| 2.98
|-
| 5
| γ Hydrae
| HIP 64962
| within constellation lines
| 3
|-
| 6
| ζ Hydrae
| HIP 43813
| within constellation lines
| 3.1
|-
| 7
| ν Hydrae
| HIP 52943
| within constellation lines
| 3.11
|-
| 8
| Ashlesha
| HIP 43109
| within constellation lines
| 3.38
|-
| 9
| ξ Hydrae
| HIP 56343
| within constellation lines
| 3.54
|-
| 10
| δ Crateris
| HIP 55282
| Inside the Hull
| 3.56
|-
| 11
| λ Hydrae
| HIP 49841
| within constellation lines
| 3.61
|-
| 12
| μ Hydrae
| HIP 51069
| within constellation lines
| 3.81
|-
| 13
| Ukdah
| HIP 47431
| Inside the Hull
| 3.91
|-
| 14
| θ Hydrae
| HIP 45336
| Inside the Hull
| 3.91
|-
| 15
| Alchiba
| HIP 59199
| Inside the Hull
| 4.01
|-
| 16
| γ Crateris
| HIP 55705
| Inside the Hull
| 4.06
|-
| 17
| Alkes
| HIP 53740
| Inside the Hull
| 4.07
|-
| 18
| Zhang
| HIP 48356
| within constellation lines
| 4.11
|-
| 19
| ρ Hydrae
| HIP 43234
| Inside the Hull
| 4.337
|-
| 20
| β Crateris
| HIP 54682
| Inside the Hull
| 4.449
|-
| 21
| τ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 46776
| Inside the Hull
| 4.548
|-
| 22
| υ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 49402
| Inside the Hull
| 4.588
|-
| 23
| τ 1 Hydrae
| HIP 46509
| Inside the Hull
| 4.6
|-
| 24
| ζ Crateris
| HIP 57283
| Inside the Hull
| 4.706
|-
| 25
| ϵ Crateris
| HIP 55687
| Inside the Hull
| 4.802
|-
| 26
| U Hya
| HIP 52009
| Inside the Hull
| 4.82
|-
| 27
| ϕ 3 Hydrae
| HIP 52085
| Inside the Hull
| 4.903
|-
| 28
| ψ Hydrae
| HIP 64166
| Inside the Hull
| 4.934
|-
| 29
| λ Crateris
| HIP 55598
| Inside the Hull
| 5.09
|-
| 30
| -
| HIP 56332
| Inside the Hull
| 5.11
|-
| 31
| II Hya
| HIP 57613
| Inside the Hull
| 5.11
|-
| 32
| η Crateris
| HIP 58188
| Inside the Hull
| 5.16
|-
| 33
| ζ Corvi
| HIP 60189
| Inside the Hull
| 5.21
|-
| 34
| ϵ Sextantis
| HIP 50414
| Inside the Hull
| 5.24
|-
| 35
| -
| HIP 53252
| Inside the Hull
| 5.24
|-
| 36
| 31 Crt
| HIP 58587
| Inside the Hull
| 5.264
|-
| 37
| 303 G. Hya
| HIP 58082
| Inside the Hull
| 5.272
|-
| 38
| 200 G. Hya
| HIP 49809
| Inside the Hull
| 5.296
|-
| 39
| -
| HIP 46404
| Inside the Hull
| 5.32
|-
| 40
| * gam Sex A
| HIP 48437
| Inside the Hull
| 5.43
|-
| 41
| -
| HIP 52737
| Inside the Hull
| 5.44
|-
| 42
| 3 Crv
| HIP 59394
| Inside the Hull
| 5.47
|-
| 43
| ι Crateris
| HIP 56802
| Inside the Hull
| 5.48
|-
| 44
| -
| HIP 54029
| Inside the Hull
| 5.511
|-
| 45
| 33 Hya
| HIP 46982
| Inside the Hull
| 5.548
|-
| 46
| -
| HR 3750
| Inside the Hull
| 5.56
|-
| 47
| -
| HIP 51046
| Inside the Hull
| 5.56
|-
| 48
| 28 Hya
| HIP 46221
| Inside the Hull
| 5.579
|-
| 49
| 225 G. Hya
| HIP 51491
| Inside the Hull
| 5.58
|-
| 50
| * 17 Crt A
| HIP 56280
| Inside the Hull
| 5.58
|-
| 51
| 195 G. Hya
| HIP 49569
| Inside the Hull
| 5.582
|-
| 52
| 18 Sex
| HIP 49865
| Inside the Hull
| 5.618
|-
| 53
| -
| HIP 61015
| Inside the Hull
| 5.63
|-
| 54
| -
| HIP 53316
| Inside the Hull
| 5.651
|-
| 55
| 6 Crv
| HIP 60425
| Inside the Hull
| 5.658
|-
| 56
| * 17 Crt B
| HIP 56280
| Inside the Hull
| 5.671
|-
| 57
| 236 G. Hya
| HIP 51933
| Inside the Hull
| 5.71
|-
| 58
| χ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 54255
| Inside the Hull
| 5.71
|-
| 59
| 41 Sex
| HIP 52980
| Inside the Hull
| 5.791
|-
| 60
| -
| HIP 59728
| Inside the Hull
| 5.807
|-
| 61
| -
| HIP 56078
| Inside the Hull
| 5.813
|-
| 62
| -
| HIP 52948
| Inside the Hull
| 5.842
|-
| 63
| -
| HIP 53778
| Inside the Hull
| 5.857
|-
| 64
| -
| HIP 53723
| Inside the Hull
| 5.879
|-
| 65
| -
| HIP 58158
| Inside the Hull
| 5.893
|-
| 66
| 17 Sex
| HIP 49812
| Inside the Hull
| 5.901
|-
| 67
| κ Crateris
| HIP 55874
| Inside the Hull
| 5.923
|-
| 68
| 25 Sex
| HIP 50885
| Inside the Hull
| 5.97
|-
| 69
| -
| HIP 60157
| Inside the Hull
| 5.97
|-
| 70
| 136 G. Hya
| HIP 46288
| Inside the Hull
| 5.985
|-
| 71
| ϕ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 51905
| Inside the Hull
| 6.012
|-
| 72
| 6 Sex
| HIP 48341
| Inside the Hull
| 6.016
|-
| 73
| 209 G. Hya
| HIP 50536
| Inside the Hull
| 6.027
|-
| 74
| -
| HIP 61951
| Inside the Hull
| 6.03
|-
| 75
| -
| HIP 56364
| Inside the Hull
| 6.044
|-
| 76
| 243 G. Hya
| HIP 52113
| Inside the Hull
| 6.045
|-
| 77
| -
| HIP 59895
| Inside the Hull
| 6.07
|-
| 78
| -
| HIP 50292
| Inside the Hull
| 6.075
|-
| 79
| -
| HIP 54214
| Inside the Hull
| 6.086
|-
| 80
| -
| HIP 49293
| Inside the Hull
| 6.097
|-
| 81
| ψ Crateris
| HIP 54742
| Inside the Hull
| 6.105
|-
| 82
| 157 G. Hya
| HIP 46869
| Inside the Hull
| 6.113
|-
| 83
| -
| HIP 57732
| Inside the Hull
| 6.122
|-
| 84
| 146 G. Hya
| HIP 46529
| Inside the Hull
| 6.126
|-
| 85
| 217 G. Hya
| HIP 50790
| Inside the Hull
| 6.13
|-
| 86
| 81 G. Hya
| HIP 43902
| Inside the Hull
| 6.131
|-
| 87
| 105 G. Hya
| HIP 45167
| Inside the Hull
| 6.131
|-
| 88
| -
| HIP 56293
| Inside the Hull
| 6.16
|-
| 89
| NS Hya
| HIP 44738
| Inside the Hull
| 6.17
|-
| 90
| TU Crv
| HIP 61496
| Inside the Hull
| 6.184
|-
| 91
| VX Crt
| HIP 56899
| Inside the Hull
| 6.19
|-
| 92
| -
| HIP 56901
| Inside the Hull
| 6.198
|-
| 93
| -
| HIP 51490
| Inside the Hull
| 6.2
|-
| 94
| -
| HIP 57079
| Inside the Hull
| 6.2
|-
| 95
| -
| HIP 49900
| Inside the Hull
| 6.225
|-
| 96
| 245 G. Hya
| HIP 52391
| Inside the Hull
| 6.228
|-
| 97
| -
| HIP 56245
| Inside the Hull
| 6.228
|-
| 98
| 199 G. Hya
| HIP 49802
| Inside the Hull
| 6.23
|-
| 99
| 197 G. Hya
| HIP 49689
| Inside the Hull
| 6.244
|-
| 100
| 159 G. Hya
| HIP 46893
| Inside the Hull
| 6.25
|-
| 101
| * psi Crt A
| HIP 54742
| Inside the Hull
| 6.25
|-
| 102
| -
| HIP 61270
| Inside the Hull
| 6.254
|-
| 103
| -
| HIP 58574
| Inside the Hull
| 6.255
|-
| 104
| 147 G. Hya
| HIP 46543
| Inside the Hull
| 6.257
|-
| 105
| 144 G. Hya
| HIP 46504
| Inside the Hull
| 6.27
|-
| 106
| 337 G. Hya
| HIP 63243
| Inside the Hull
| 6.303
|-
| 107
| -
| HIP 50584
| Inside the Hull
| 6.308
|-
| 108
| 37 Hya
| HIP 47427
| Inside the Hull
| 6.32
|-
| 109
| -
| HIP 51490
| Inside the Hull
| 6.32
|-
| 110
| -
| HIP 53259
| Inside the Hull
| 6.34
|-
| 111
| -
| HIP 54048
| Inside the Hull
| 6.343
|-
| 112
| 71 G. Hya
| HIP 43570
| Inside the Hull
| 6.35
|-
| 113
| 172 G. Hya
| HIP 47454
| Inside the Hull
| 6.356
|-
| 114
| -
| HIP 53849
| Inside the Hull
| 6.36
|-
| 115
| -
| HIP 50552
| Inside the Hull
| 6.361
|-
| 116
| -
| HIP 54749
| Inside the Hull
| 6.378
|-
| 117
| 34 Hya
| HIP 47249
| Inside the Hull
| 6.39
|-
| 118
| -
| HIP 61208
| Inside the Hull
| 6.39
|-
| 119
| * gam Sex B
| HIP 48437
| Inside the Hull
| 6.4
|-
| 120
| 332 G. Hya
| HIP 62448
| Inside the Hull
| 6.405
|-
| 121
| 308 G. Hya
| HIP 58436
| Inside the Hull
| 6.416
|-
| 122
| -
| HIP 48351
| Inside the Hull
| 6.42
|-
| 123
| -
| HIP 56830
| Inside the Hull
| 6.42
|-
| 124
| 274 G. Hya
| HIP 54703
| Inside the Hull
| 6.43
|-
| 125
| 294 G. Hya
| HIP 57001
| Inside the Hull
| 6.44
|-
| 126
| 258 G. Hya
| HIP 53387
| Inside the Hull
| 6.444
|-
| 127
| 166 G. Hya
| HIP 47242
| Inside the Hull
| 6.46
|-
| 128
| -
| HIP 48839
| Inside the Hull
| 6.46
|-
| 129
| 299 G. Hya
| HIP 57749
| Inside the Hull
| 6.477
|-
| 130
| 233 G. Hya
| HIP 51852
| Inside the Hull
| 6.479
|-
| 131
| 297 G. Hya
| HIP 57507
| Inside the Hull
| 6.48
|-
| 132
| -
| HIP 50693
| Inside the Hull
| 6.499
|-
| 133
| -
| HIP 51656
| Inside the Hull
| 6.5
|}

== IAU Working Group on Star Names ==
The name "Naga" was proposed to WGSN as a star name in 2025 based on the Balinese lintang (constellation). As the name "Naga" has a strong cultural significance in many South East Asian cultures, the WGSN agreed to use it as a star name. The name is proposed for the star gam Hya or HIP 64962 because of Naga's cultural significance on Bali where it designates a constellation. HIP 64962 is the star position is at the Naga's tail. Naga are mystical creatures with special powers. The famous Naga Basuki, in particular, is the one that is connected to the Bali Strait. When Manik Angkeran needed money to pay his gambling debts, he cut the Naga's tail that had gold in it. Check full mythology above. Constellation Naga is mentioned in Palelintangan Prasi, dating roughly 700 CE, and is still used in Bali.

On ... 2026, WGSN decided to adopt the name .. for ...

== Weblinks ==

* {{NAMESPACE}}

== References ==

* [[References]] (general)

[[Category:Indonesia]] [[Category:Asterism]] [[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Balinese]] [[Category:Hya]] [[Category:Sex]] [[Category:Crt]] [[Category:Crv]]

Naga

2026-02-19T04:40:21Z

Cheungszeleung: /* Naga in other South Asian Cultures */

Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----
[[File:LintangNAGA.jpg|thumb|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.752)]]
[[File:Naga.png|thumb|Lintang Naga in lontar Prasi Palelintangan (CC-BY Alfred Maaß, (1929), Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen)]]
[[File:Stellarium-20251010-212838262.png|thumb|Balinese constellation: Naga (a dragon), re-drawn by Jessica Gullberg for the planetarium software Stellarium (CC-BY Youla Azkarrula & Jessica Gullberg)]]
Naga is a constellation used in several Indonesian sky culture. It projects mythological dragon into the sky. The dragon as a religious/divine creature that exists in many cultures in South East Asia from India to Indonesia (e.g. Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China ...).

The Balinese astral calendar "Palelintangan" has "Naga" as one of 35 "lintang" (constellations).<ref name=":2">Maass, Alfred, “Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen,” in Koninklijk Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, Feestbundel bij gelegenheid van zijn 150 jarig bestaan 1778-1928, 2 vols. (Weltevreden, 1929), Vol. 2, 126-157.</ref> There naga is found in intersection of Wraspati (Thursday, in saptawara) and Kliwon (in pancawara) in a series of [[Balinese (All Terms)|palelintangan]].

==Etymology and History==
Naga (IPA: /ˈna.ɡa/, [ˈna.ɡa]) is inherited from Malay naga, and derived from Sanskrit नाग, nāgá, means “large snake”. Some languages borrow Sanskrit terms and have the same meaning as snake, namely: Iban, Indonesia, Italian, Javanese, Malay, Marano, Portuguese, Tagalog and Yakan.

=== Variants (name, spelling...) ===
The constellation in the sky is always called "Naga" but the divine creature has the following name variants (for explanation see below):
*Naga Besukih
*Antaboga
*Taksaka

=== Origin of Constellation ===
On Bali, Naga are legendary creatures and exist in the folklore of almost every tribe and civilization in the world. Naga could be referred to as a big snake, a big water snake or a dragon. Unlike in some civilizations which consider dragons to be evil monsters, in Bali, dragons are considered to be sacred figures who are able to guard the island of Bali. Apart from that, there are quite a few depictions of dragons in several places such as temples, houses, government offices and former buildings left over from the Balinese kingdom. Sometimes they also make dragon ornaments on keris (traditional Balinese dagger).

==== General information ====

[[File:AlfredMaas1929 Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen ocr IdentTab cut.jpg|thumb|Identification of Balinese constellations (Maaß 1929, appendix). ]]
The astronomical identification of the constellation is taken from Maaß (1929)<ref name=":2" /> who explains in general that these constellations and the according ritual practice <blockquote>"sind seit alten Zeiten in einem Werk ,,wariga" niedergelegt, in dem wir zwei Kulturschichten, nämlich indische und malaio-polynesische Bestandteile wiederfinden." </blockquote><blockquote>'''English:''' "are written down in a work called "wariga" since old times; there we recognise two cultural layers, i.e. the Indian and the Malayo-Polynesian."</blockquote>He also quotes other scholars<ref>Friedrich, R. (1849). Voorloopig verslag van het eiland Bali, Batavia, Verb. Bat Gen. Deel 23, Nr. 13</ref><ref>HINLOOPEN LABBERT0N, D. VAN (1910). Geillustreerd handboek van Insulinde. Amsterdam: "Vivat"</ref><ref>PIGEAUD, TH. (1925). Een stuk over sterrenkunde uit het Anggastyaparwwa ...... Weltevreden: Albrecht. Tijdsch. v. lnd, T.-, L.- en Vk. deel LXV</ref><ref>Nieuwenkamp, W. O. J. (1905), Schetsen van Bali en Lombok. (Eigen Haard)</ref> and his earlier work<ref>MAASS, ALFRED (1920). Sterne und Sternbilder im malaiischen Archipel. Berlin. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie Jg. 1920/21, H. 1</ref><ref>MAASS, ALFRED (1924). Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel. Batavia, den Haag. Tijdsch. v. T.-, L.-en Vk. deel LX IV</ref> reporting that this work dates back to the 9th century CE when Bali was part of a Hindu empire on the neighbouring island of Java.<ref name=":2" /> Neubronner van der Tuuk even uses the Old Javanese spelling.

==== Identification ====
The identifications, Maaß (1929) gives according to the aforementioned and his own studies during visits of the country and in European and Batavian libraries (p.150).<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Naga Maass1929.jpg|center|thumb|1155x1155px|Naga in the identification table by Maaß (1929). He calls the creature a dragon but identifies "Wasserschlange(?)" = Hydra. ]]

Maaß (1929), p. 144: "eine Schlange. Bösartig und schlau; - sehr schlechte Denkungsart;" '''English:''' - a snake. Malicious and cunning; - very bad way of thinking;
==== Naga in India ====
Nāga, in Sanskrit and almost all Indian languages means a snake or cobra. Although it is not explicitly used as a name for any constellation the constellation Āśleṣā ([[Ashlesha]]), is recognised as the head of a snake.

Mythological stories involving snakes are abundant. For example, the ascending and descending nodes of the moon are called Rāhu and Ketu. Rahu has a human head and the body of a snake; it is the converse for Ketu. They both emerge as the two individual bodies when a demon’s head was chopped off. Snake worship is very common in India; people install stone idols of snakes even today.

==== Naga in other South Asian Cultures ====
"Naga" creatures exist in many Southeast Asian cultures.

===== Modern Distinctions: Bali vs. Mainland Southeast Asia (SEA) =====
While they share a name, the "taxonomical" differences between the two today are significant:

* Anatomy: Mainland SEA Nagas (Thailand/Cambodia/Laos/Myanmar) are fundamentally multi-headed serpents (3, 5, 7, or 9 heads). In contrast, the Balinese Naga is almost always single-headed.
* Visual Style: The Balinese Naga is a "Royal Dragon"—it wears a crown (''Makuta''), earrings, and often has a beard. The Mainland version is more serpentine, emphasizing the flared cobra hood.
* Symbolic Meaning: In the mainland, Nagas are primarily Guardians of the Buddha and water spirits. In Bali, they are Cosmic Stabilizers tied to the volcanic earth and the support of the world.

===== Evidence of a Shared Origin =====
Despite these modern differences, two key pieces of evidence link them to a singular source:

* Evidence 1: The Cosmic Churning (Cosmology) Both regions root their Naga lore in the Indian myth of the ''Samudra Manthan'' (Churning of the Ocean of Milk). In Bali, this is the ''Adi Parwa''. The use of the Naga (Basuki) as the "churning rope" wrapped around a cosmic mountain is a shared blueprint that defines the spiritual architecture of both Balinese temples and Khmer monuments like Angkor Wat.
* Evidence 2: The Naga-Ship Tradition The "Naga-boat" is a cross-cultural phenomenon. Whether it is the Chinese Dragon Boat, the Mekong Naga Boats, or the Balinese Ritual Naga-Banda, they all share the belief that the boat is the physical body of the water-serpent. This tradition stems from an ancient "Monsoon Culture" where the river was seen as a living Naga that one must "ride" to navigate the world.

===== The Evolutionary Path: From India to the Islands =====
The divergence occurred based on the "cultural filter" through which the Indian Naga traveled:

# The Indian Root (c. 1500 BCE): Originated as the Vedic ''Vritra'' and later the Puranic ''Shesha/Vasuki''.
# The Buddhist Branch (Mainland SEA): Traveled via land and sea to Angkor. It merged with local snake-worship to become the multi-headed protector of the Dharma.
# The Javanese-Balinese Branch (Indonesia): Traveled via maritime trade routes. It was "ennobled" by Javanese court culture, gaining the crown and royal regalia, and was eventually re-contextualized to fit the volcanic landscape of Bali.

They are "taxonomically" distinct now. You can think of them like the Lion and the Tiger: they are both "Big Cats", but they have lived in different jungles for so long that they have developed different stripes.

=== Transfer and Transformation ===

==== ... of the Constellation ====

==== Interpretations of Naga in different cultures ====
<gallery>
File:Naga - Buddhism.jpg|Naga in Cambodia. The term Naga in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism denotes divine. (CC BY Dmitry Makeev).
File:Naga China smh 20240302 155352.jpg|modern park decoration in shape of a Naga-like dragon in Hefei, China
File:A Naga, a half-man, half-snake creature (4188438144).jpg|A Naga, a half-man, half-snake creature (CC BY Greg Willis).
File:Olbrich Botanical Garden Naga Dragon Statue.jpg|Naga dragon statue at Olbrich Botanical Garden (CC BY צבוע לבנה).
File:Wat Si Saket Vientiane 5.jpg|Believed to be Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple, Wat Si Saket is famous for its cloister wall and rows of hundreds of seated Buddhas. (CC BY Philip Nalangan)
File:Naga and Naga Kanya (snake god and goddess), from the Gond Country on the Nerbudda - DPLA - 657678574197483a1cccd123b2404d5f.jpg|Naga and Naga Kanya (snake god and goddess), from the Gond Country on the Nerbudda (CC0 between 1850 and 1873 ).
File:Angkor naga.jpg|Seven-headed ''naga'' from the entrance of an Angkor Thom gate (CC BY Gisling(zh:唐戈))
</gallery>

== Mythology / Religion ==

=== Naga Besukih (Bali) ===
The presence of the Balinese mythological creature, Naga Besukih, cannot be separated from the folklore about the formation of the Bali Strait. The story involves Manik Angkeran who was the son of a Brahmin named Sidi Mantra.

Sidi Mantra was famous for his supernatural powers while his son, although brave and clever, apparently had a penchant for gambling which made him in debt. To free himself from debt, Sidi Mantra told Manik Angkeran to ask for a little treasure guarded by Naga Besukih in the crater of Mount Agung.

The dragon agreed to the request. However, Manik apparently repeated his bad habits so he secretly returned to Naga Besukih to give him help. Blinded by the treasure stored in Naga Besukih's body, Manik cut off the dragon's tail.

With his supernatural powers, Besukih managed to burn Manik to ashes when the dragon licked his tracks. Sidi Mantra then begged Naga Besukih to revive his son on the condition that his tail be returned.

With his magical powers, Sidi Mantra managed to restore the Dragon's tail and the child came back to life. Manik then apologized and promised not to repeat his actions. After disappearing, a water source appeared where Manik stood, which grew larger and larger. With his stick, Sidi Mantra made a dividing line with the child. That place later became the Bali Strait.

=== Antaboga ===
Antaboga or Anantaboga is a Balinese mythological creature who rules snakes from a puppet story. This creature has the form of a dragon snake with a crown and a gold necklace. According to local beliefs, Antaboga has many powers and one of them is the ability to revive dead bodies. This creature is said to live in Saptapralata or the seventh layer of the earth's base. He has a wife named Dewi Supreti who also has the form of a dragon and two children named Bambang Naga Tatmala and Dewi Nagini.

=== Taksaka ===
Taksaka or Taksa is one of the dragons, the son of Dewi Kadru and Kashyapa who lives in Nagaloka with his other brothers. In the Mahabharata legend, Naga Taksaka is the dragon who killed King Parikesit.

The story of Taksaka appears in the Adiparwa story where Dewi Kadru asks Resi Kasyapa to grant her a thousand children. Bagawan Kasyapa then gives a thousand eggs, from which dragons emerge, one of which is Taksaka. But in Balinese mythology, Taksaka is not a dragon but a snake who lives in Kahyangan.

=== Image Variants ===
<gallery>
File:Naga.png|Lintang Naga (CC-BY Alfred Maaß, (1929), Astrologische Kalender der Balinesen)
File:LinNAGA.jpg|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.746)
File:LintangNAGA.jpg|Lintang Naga in the cloth (CC-BY UPTD Museum Bali Inventary no. 09.752)
File:Lintang Naga2.jpg|Lintang Naga (CC-BY Youla Azkarrula taken in the ceiling of Taman Gili Klungkung Palace Bali)
</gallery>

== Cultural Beliefs ==

=== Numerology (Neptu/Urip) ===
Wraspati (Thursday, in saptawara) has a value of 8 and Kliwon (in pancawara) has a value of 8. Thus, the total urip on this lintang is 16.<ref name=":0">Tim Kajian Palelintangan, “Gabungan Kajian Palelintangan,” Museum Bali (2021), 1-149.</ref>

=== Astrological Characteristics ===
Often makes trouble for his enemies, his joys and sorrows are balanced, has talent in literature, always performs praises to God and is firm in meditation. His mantras and curses are bathing. Has many memories, has a clean heart. Unfortunately they are very easily offended and sensitive so that with this nature they are often swayed by their own feelings.<ref name=":0" />

=== Matching Gemstones ===
Biduri bulan (moon stone), Nila (saphire), Kalimayah (Opal).<ref name=":0" />

== All HIP Stars within this constellation ==
==== Stars within the Constellation Area ====
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+
|-
! id
! Label
! IAU design.
! description
! Vmag
|-
| 1
| Alphard
| HIP 46390
| within constellation lines
| 1.97
|-
| 2
| Gienah
| HIP 59803
| Inside the Hull
| 2.58
|-
| 3
| Kraz
| HIP 61359
| Inside the Hull
| 2.64
|-
| 4
| ϵ Corvi
| HIP 59316
| Inside the Hull
| 2.98
|-
| 5
| γ Hydrae
| HIP 64962
| within constellation lines
| 3
|-
| 6
| ζ Hydrae
| HIP 43813
| within constellation lines
| 3.1
|-
| 7
| ν Hydrae
| HIP 52943
| within constellation lines
| 3.11
|-
| 8
| Ashlesha
| HIP 43109
| within constellation lines
| 3.38
|-
| 9
| ξ Hydrae
| HIP 56343
| within constellation lines
| 3.54
|-
| 10
| δ Crateris
| HIP 55282
| Inside the Hull
| 3.56
|-
| 11
| λ Hydrae
| HIP 49841
| within constellation lines
| 3.61
|-
| 12
| μ Hydrae
| HIP 51069
| within constellation lines
| 3.81
|-
| 13
| Ukdah
| HIP 47431
| Inside the Hull
| 3.91
|-
| 14
| θ Hydrae
| HIP 45336
| Inside the Hull
| 3.91
|-
| 15
| Alchiba
| HIP 59199
| Inside the Hull
| 4.01
|-
| 16
| γ Crateris
| HIP 55705
| Inside the Hull
| 4.06
|-
| 17
| Alkes
| HIP 53740
| Inside the Hull
| 4.07
|-
| 18
| Zhang
| HIP 48356
| within constellation lines
| 4.11
|-
| 19
| ρ Hydrae
| HIP 43234
| Inside the Hull
| 4.337
|-
| 20
| β Crateris
| HIP 54682
| Inside the Hull
| 4.449
|-
| 21
| τ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 46776
| Inside the Hull
| 4.548
|-
| 22
| υ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 49402
| Inside the Hull
| 4.588
|-
| 23
| τ 1 Hydrae
| HIP 46509
| Inside the Hull
| 4.6
|-
| 24
| ζ Crateris
| HIP 57283
| Inside the Hull
| 4.706
|-
| 25
| ϵ Crateris
| HIP 55687
| Inside the Hull
| 4.802
|-
| 26
| U Hya
| HIP 52009
| Inside the Hull
| 4.82
|-
| 27
| ϕ 3 Hydrae
| HIP 52085
| Inside the Hull
| 4.903
|-
| 28
| ψ Hydrae
| HIP 64166
| Inside the Hull
| 4.934
|-
| 29
| λ Crateris
| HIP 55598
| Inside the Hull
| 5.09
|-
| 30
| -
| HIP 56332
| Inside the Hull
| 5.11
|-
| 31
| II Hya
| HIP 57613
| Inside the Hull
| 5.11
|-
| 32
| η Crateris
| HIP 58188
| Inside the Hull
| 5.16
|-
| 33
| ζ Corvi
| HIP 60189
| Inside the Hull
| 5.21
|-
| 34
| ϵ Sextantis
| HIP 50414
| Inside the Hull
| 5.24
|-
| 35
| -
| HIP 53252
| Inside the Hull
| 5.24
|-
| 36
| 31 Crt
| HIP 58587
| Inside the Hull
| 5.264
|-
| 37
| 303 G. Hya
| HIP 58082
| Inside the Hull
| 5.272
|-
| 38
| 200 G. Hya
| HIP 49809
| Inside the Hull
| 5.296
|-
| 39
| -
| HIP 46404
| Inside the Hull
| 5.32
|-
| 40
| * gam Sex A
| HIP 48437
| Inside the Hull
| 5.43
|-
| 41
| -
| HIP 52737
| Inside the Hull
| 5.44
|-
| 42
| 3 Crv
| HIP 59394
| Inside the Hull
| 5.47
|-
| 43
| ι Crateris
| HIP 56802
| Inside the Hull
| 5.48
|-
| 44
| -
| HIP 54029
| Inside the Hull
| 5.511
|-
| 45
| 33 Hya
| HIP 46982
| Inside the Hull
| 5.548
|-
| 46
| -
| HR 3750
| Inside the Hull
| 5.56
|-
| 47
| -
| HIP 51046
| Inside the Hull
| 5.56
|-
| 48
| 28 Hya
| HIP 46221
| Inside the Hull
| 5.579
|-
| 49
| 225 G. Hya
| HIP 51491
| Inside the Hull
| 5.58
|-
| 50
| * 17 Crt A
| HIP 56280
| Inside the Hull
| 5.58
|-
| 51
| 195 G. Hya
| HIP 49569
| Inside the Hull
| 5.582
|-
| 52
| 18 Sex
| HIP 49865
| Inside the Hull
| 5.618
|-
| 53
| -
| HIP 61015
| Inside the Hull
| 5.63
|-
| 54
| -
| HIP 53316
| Inside the Hull
| 5.651
|-
| 55
| 6 Crv
| HIP 60425
| Inside the Hull
| 5.658
|-
| 56
| * 17 Crt B
| HIP 56280
| Inside the Hull
| 5.671
|-
| 57
| 236 G. Hya
| HIP 51933
| Inside the Hull
| 5.71
|-
| 58
| χ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 54255
| Inside the Hull
| 5.71
|-
| 59
| 41 Sex
| HIP 52980
| Inside the Hull
| 5.791
|-
| 60
| -
| HIP 59728
| Inside the Hull
| 5.807
|-
| 61
| -
| HIP 56078
| Inside the Hull
| 5.813
|-
| 62
| -
| HIP 52948
| Inside the Hull
| 5.842
|-
| 63
| -
| HIP 53778
| Inside the Hull
| 5.857
|-
| 64
| -
| HIP 53723
| Inside the Hull
| 5.879
|-
| 65
| -
| HIP 58158
| Inside the Hull
| 5.893
|-
| 66
| 17 Sex
| HIP 49812
| Inside the Hull
| 5.901
|-
| 67
| κ Crateris
| HIP 55874
| Inside the Hull
| 5.923
|-
| 68
| 25 Sex
| HIP 50885
| Inside the Hull
| 5.97
|-
| 69
| -
| HIP 60157
| Inside the Hull
| 5.97
|-
| 70
| 136 G. Hya
| HIP 46288
| Inside the Hull
| 5.985
|-
| 71
| ϕ 2 Hydrae
| HIP 51905
| Inside the Hull
| 6.012
|-
| 72
| 6 Sex
| HIP 48341
| Inside the Hull
| 6.016
|-
| 73
| 209 G. Hya
| HIP 50536
| Inside the Hull
| 6.027
|-
| 74
| -
| HIP 61951
| Inside the Hull
| 6.03
|-
| 75
| -
| HIP 56364
| Inside the Hull
| 6.044
|-
| 76
| 243 G. Hya
| HIP 52113
| Inside the Hull
| 6.045
|-
| 77
| -
| HIP 59895
| Inside the Hull
| 6.07
|-
| 78
| -
| HIP 50292
| Inside the Hull
| 6.075
|-
| 79
| -
| HIP 54214
| Inside the Hull
| 6.086
|-
| 80
| -
| HIP 49293
| Inside the Hull
| 6.097
|-
| 81
| ψ Crateris
| HIP 54742
| Inside the Hull
| 6.105
|-
| 82
| 157 G. Hya
| HIP 46869
| Inside the Hull
| 6.113
|-
| 83
| -
| HIP 57732
| Inside the Hull
| 6.122
|-
| 84
| 146 G. Hya
| HIP 46529
| Inside the Hull
| 6.126
|-
| 85
| 217 G. Hya
| HIP 50790
| Inside the Hull
| 6.13
|-
| 86
| 81 G. Hya
| HIP 43902
| Inside the Hull
| 6.131
|-
| 87
| 105 G. Hya
| HIP 45167
| Inside the Hull
| 6.131
|-
| 88
| -
| HIP 56293
| Inside the Hull
| 6.16
|-
| 89
| NS Hya
| HIP 44738
| Inside the Hull
| 6.17
|-
| 90
| TU Crv
| HIP 61496
| Inside the Hull
| 6.184
|-
| 91
| VX Crt
| HIP 56899
| Inside the Hull
| 6.19
|-
| 92
| -
| HIP 56901
| Inside the Hull
| 6.198
|-
| 93
| -
| HIP 51490
| Inside the Hull
| 6.2
|-
| 94
| -
| HIP 57079
| Inside the Hull
| 6.2
|-
| 95
| -
| HIP 49900
| Inside the Hull
| 6.225
|-
| 96
| 245 G. Hya
| HIP 52391
| Inside the Hull
| 6.228
|-
| 97
| -
| HIP 56245
| Inside the Hull
| 6.228
|-
| 98
| 199 G. Hya
| HIP 49802
| Inside the Hull
| 6.23
|-
| 99
| 197 G. Hya
| HIP 49689
| Inside the Hull
| 6.244
|-
| 100
| 159 G. Hya
| HIP 46893
| Inside the Hull
| 6.25
|-
| 101
| * psi Crt A
| HIP 54742
| Inside the Hull
| 6.25
|-
| 102
| -
| HIP 61270
| Inside the Hull
| 6.254
|-
| 103
| -
| HIP 58574
| Inside the Hull
| 6.255
|-
| 104
| 147 G. Hya
| HIP 46543
| Inside the Hull
| 6.257
|-
| 105
| 144 G. Hya
| HIP 46504
| Inside the Hull
| 6.27
|-
| 106
| 337 G. Hya
| HIP 63243
| Inside the Hull
| 6.303
|-
| 107
| -
| HIP 50584
| Inside the Hull
| 6.308
|-
| 108
| 37 Hya
| HIP 47427
| Inside the Hull
| 6.32
|-
| 109
| -
| HIP 51490
| Inside the Hull
| 6.32
|-
| 110
| -
| HIP 53259
| Inside the Hull
| 6.34
|-
| 111
| -
| HIP 54048
| Inside the Hull
| 6.343
|-
| 112
| 71 G. Hya
| HIP 43570
| Inside the Hull
| 6.35
|-
| 113
| 172 G. Hya
| HIP 47454
| Inside the Hull
| 6.356
|-
| 114
| -
| HIP 53849
| Inside the Hull
| 6.36
|-
| 115
| -
| HIP 50552
| Inside the Hull
| 6.361
|-
| 116
| -
| HIP 54749
| Inside the Hull
| 6.378
|-
| 117
| 34 Hya
| HIP 47249
| Inside the Hull
| 6.39
|-
| 118
| -
| HIP 61208
| Inside the Hull
| 6.39
|-
| 119
| * gam Sex B
| HIP 48437
| Inside the Hull
| 6.4
|-
| 120
| 332 G. Hya
| HIP 62448
| Inside the Hull
| 6.405
|-
| 121
| 308 G. Hya
| HIP 58436
| Inside the Hull
| 6.416
|-
| 122
| -
| HIP 48351
| Inside the Hull
| 6.42
|-
| 123
| -
| HIP 56830
| Inside the Hull
| 6.42
|-
| 124
| 274 G. Hya
| HIP 54703
| Inside the Hull
| 6.43
|-
| 125
| 294 G. Hya
| HIP 57001
| Inside the Hull
| 6.44
|-
| 126
| 258 G. Hya
| HIP 53387
| Inside the Hull
| 6.444
|-
| 127
| 166 G. Hya
| HIP 47242
| Inside the Hull
| 6.46
|-
| 128
| -
| HIP 48839
| Inside the Hull
| 6.46
|-
| 129
| 299 G. Hya
| HIP 57749
| Inside the Hull
| 6.477
|-
| 130
| 233 G. Hya
| HIP 51852
| Inside the Hull
| 6.479
|-
| 131
| 297 G. Hya
| HIP 57507
| Inside the Hull
| 6.48
|-
| 132
| -
| HIP 50693
| Inside the Hull
| 6.499
|-
| 133
| -
| HIP 51656
| Inside the Hull
| 6.5
|}

== IAU Working Group on Star Names ==
The name "Naga" was proposed to WGSN as a star name in 2025 based on the Balinese lintang (constellation). As the name "Naga" has a strong cultural significance in many South East Asian cultures, the WGSN agreed to use it as a star name. The name is proposed for the star gam Hya or HIP 64962 because of Naga's cultural significance on Bali where it designates a constellation. HIP 64962 is the star position is at the Naga's tail. Naga are mystical creatures with special powers. The famous Naga Basuki, in particular, is the one that is connected to the Bali Strait. When Manik Angkeran needed money to pay his gambling debts, he cut the Naga's tail that had gold in it. Check full mythology above. Constellation Naga is mentioned in Palelintangan Prasi, dating roughly 700 CE, and is still used in Bali.

On ... 2026, WGSN decided to adopt the name .. for ...

== Weblinks ==

* {{NAMESPACE}}

== References ==

* [[References]] (general)

[[Category:Indonesia]] [[Category:Asterism]] [[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Balinese]] [[Category:Hya]] [[Category:Sex]] [[Category:Crt]] [[Category:Crv]]

Dorado

2024-11-15T01:58:12Z

Cheungszeleung: /* References */

[[File:DOR (IAU definition).gif|alt=DOR modern map|thumb|The modern map of the IAU-constellation Dorado (S&T graphics)]] One of the 88 official constellations. There is no need to translate the term because "Dorado" already is a modern (not Latin) word and used in many languages to designate a specific sort of fish. For further explanation, "Dorado, the Dolphinfish" would work in English. The Spanish term "dorado" literally means "golden", and it has been used for various type of fish in the past. Given this translation, the constellation name has sometimes been translated as "Goldfish", although the Spanish term always designated exotic fish species from the "new worlds".

==Etymology and History==
[[File:DeHoutman Dorado.JPG|alt=screenshot(s) of text|thumb|de Houtman (1603) "den Dorado". screenshot of star catalogue. ]]
Dorado, the Dolphinfish, has been invented by Pieter Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia (later called "Dutch Indies") 1592-1594. Their catalogue<ref>de Houtman, Frederik (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue in a Dictionary of Malayan language]</ref> of southern stars was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). Before the publication of the star catalogue, de Houtman shared his data with Petrus Plancius, who had actually commissioned this work. Even in the 1590s, Plancius had worked with this material and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south, and so did Johann Bayer's Uranometria (1603).

===Species of Fish===
Following Dekker (1987),<ref>Dekker, E. (1987), Early explorations of the southern celestial sky, Annals of Science, 44:5, 439-470. [[References (Medieval and Early Modern)|PDF here References (Medieval and Early Modern)]]</ref> Ridpath<ref>Ridpath, Ian * Ridpath, Ian, [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/dorado.html Star Tales: online edition].</ref> (supported by van Gent) argues that the dorado in the sky hunts the flying fish (Volans), and that the Dutch explorer might have observed such a hunt on their journey (cf. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth documentation], also see Maas 1924<ref>Maass, Alfred, ``Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel<nowiki>''</nowiki>, [https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/tbg.html Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde], vol. 64 (1924), pp. 1-172 & 347-459, with a "Nachtrag", vol. 66 (1926), pp. 618-670.</ref>).

Despite translating the Spanish term "dorado" (golden), historical Spanish and other European languages never designated any species of [[wikipedia:Goldfish|goldfish]] (small freshwater pet fish) with the term.

In biology, "Dorado" is the name of two sorts of fish: a freshwater fish in South America and a predatory fish that lives in the ocean. The ocean inhabitants, who had inspired de Houtman and Keyser, are today known as dolphinfishes with the scientific genus name "Coryphaena". The "Common Dolphinfish" (''Coryphaena hippurus'') is called '''''Mahi Mahi,''''' the Hawaiian language term for "very strong". In Persian, the word "mahi" (ماهی) happens to mean "fish" which is unrelated to the Hawaiian term. Although there are other names for the fish in some regions<ref>many names in many languages listed on [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/98531-Coryphaena-hippurus Inaturalist.org]</ref> (e.g. "Lampuka" on the Mediterranean island of Malta and specifically "Ikan Lemadang" in Indonesia, where de Houtman and Keyser invented the celestial name), the Hawaiian term became publicly known. To avoid confusion with dolphins (the sea mammals that are unrelated to all species of fish), the term for the fish that is used in the public, e.g. in restaurants, is Mahi Mahi.

===Modern transformations ===
The standard topic that Dorado hunts Volans can be traced throughout history. Yet, Bode and Goldbach show some anomalies: Bode wrote two books: one in German in 1772 as a very young man, training himself in astronomy ("Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels") and his famous atlas as senior astronomer at the Berlin observatory, ''Uranographia'' (1801). In 1772, he labels Dorado "swordfish" and in his Latin-labelled atlas consequently "Xiphias" (and not "Dorado" like everybody else). Goldbach (1799) reproduces Lacaille's map but labels it in German with the translation "swordfish" while in his own interpretation of the map (next page), he labels Dorado "goldfish". <gallery>
File:Dor+vol Bayer1603.jpg|Bayer (1603): Dorado hunts Volans
File:Dorado+volans Dopplmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's (1742) version of Dorado's hunt of Volans
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) depicts Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo.
File:Dorado Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) labels Dorado "Schwerdt-Fisch" (swordfish)
File:Dor+Vol Fortin 1776-1795.jpg|Fortin's hunt of Volans by Dorado (1775-1795)
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Lacaille dtBeschr Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" hunts Volans (1756, here repro 1799)
File:Dor Lacaille dtBeschr.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" (1756), the German translation in Goldbach 1799 labels it "Schwerdfisch" (swordfish).
File:Dor+vol+arg Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own version of Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo (1799)
File:Dor goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own "Dorado" is labelled "Goldfisch" (goldfish) in German (1799).
File:Simon1894 Dorado+Ret.jpg|Dorado with Reticulum and Pictor at ''Planisferio celeste'' (Carlos Simón 1894)
</gallery>

== IAU Star Name Discussion ==
As the stars of Dorado are rather faint, no one has a proper historical name. The main star is α Dor (3.3 mag) and β Dor has 3.8 mag; all other stars are fainter than 4 mag.

As the official translation of the constellation name should be "Dolphinfish", it might be an idea to name the brightest star (α Dor) with that term (like "Peacock" for alf Pav). The WGSN has also discussed the Indonesia word "'''Ikan Lemadang'''" designating this species, and the term "'''Mahi Mahi'''" which is popular in English restaurant menues. Both names were rejected, the first being a bit mouthful, the second due to a mismatch of cultural origins of the term and constellation invention.

The group also discussed constellation names from Oceania such as:

* '''Kailou''' (Johnson<ref>Johnson, Rubellite, John Mahelona and Clive Ruggles (in press, publication expected in 2026). ''Nā Inoa Hōkū: Hawaiian and Pacific Star Names'', 3rd edn. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref> ''et al''.’s Austronesian star catalogue lists the "Dolphin constellation" ''Kailou'' from the Admiralty Is. and the Kankanaey asterism ''Sipat'', both of which are identified with modern Delphinus or possibly Dorado. Kailou is certainly a fish name in the Manus. Still, it is the wrong type of fish (jack [Carangidae]), (see Akimichi and Sukiyama 2010, 16)<ref>Akimichi, Tomoya and Osamu Sukiyama (2010). ''Manus fish names''. doi.org/10.15021/00004269.</ref> and, once again, the name is more likely to apply to Delphinus rather than Dorado. If we apply "Kailou" here, we probably apply it to the wrong region in the sky. In other words, it is possible that Dorado was known as Kailou in Melanesia and Sipat in the Malay Archipelago, which leads to the suggestion of Kailou and/ or Sipat for stars in Dorado.

* '''"Sipat"'''. According to Ambrosio<ref>Ambrosio, Dante L. (2010). ''Balatik: Etnoastronomiya Kalangitan sa Kabihasnang Pilipino''. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.</ref> (2010, 155): "Sipat and Tudong [another asterism] are mentioned in prayers for the offering of a chicken for someone who cannot control urination, and for the ceremony of ''kentan'', where the rice seedlings are blessed before being planted." Vanoverbergh<ref>Vanoverbergh, Morice, "Kankenay Religion", ''Anthropos'' 67 (1972), 72-128.</ref> (1972, 91) identifies Sipat as "The Dolphin" whereas Tudong is "part of Andromeda, Pisces, Triangulum, and Aries". It is pretty clear that the Dolphin in question is Delphinus, not Dorado. "Sipat" in Tagalog does not mean Dolphin but rather "look carefully". It may have other meanings in other Filipino languages, but these are grounds for ruling out this term for stars in Dorado.

An alternative candidate name is "''Xiphias''" (swordfish), the alias for the constellation name "Dorado," as it appeared in Kepler's Rudolphine Tables (1627). The name "Xiphias" was also applied to the constellation by Halley (1678), Hevelius (1690), and Bode (1801). However, it means "swordfish" and therefore (mis)leads to another species of fish.

== Weblinks ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth (youTube) documenting the hunt of flying fish by the dolphinfish].
* [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/98531-Coryphaena-hippurus "Gemeine Goldmakrele" in Inaturalist.org]

== References==

[[Category:Modern]]
[[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]

Dorado

2024-11-15T01:57:27Z

Cheungszeleung: /* IAU Star Name Discussion */

[[File:DOR (IAU definition).gif|alt=DOR modern map|thumb|The modern map of the IAU-constellation Dorado (S&T graphics)]] One of the 88 official constellations. There is no need to translate the term because "Dorado" already is a modern (not Latin) word and used in many languages to designate a specific sort of fish. For further explanation, "Dorado, the Dolphinfish" would work in English. The Spanish term "dorado" literally means "golden", and it has been used for various type of fish in the past. Given this translation, the constellation name has sometimes been translated as "Goldfish", although the Spanish term always designated exotic fish species from the "new worlds".

==Etymology and History==
[[File:DeHoutman Dorado.JPG|alt=screenshot(s) of text|thumb|de Houtman (1603) "den Dorado". screenshot of star catalogue. ]]
Dorado, the Dolphinfish, has been invented by Pieter Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia (later called "Dutch Indies") 1592-1594. Their catalogue<ref>de Houtman, Frederik (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue in a Dictionary of Malayan language]</ref> of southern stars was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). Before the publication of the star catalogue, de Houtman shared his data with Petrus Plancius, who had actually commissioned this work. Even in the 1590s, Plancius had worked with this material and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south, and so did Johann Bayer's Uranometria (1603).

===Species of Fish===
Following Dekker (1987),<ref>Dekker, E. (1987), Early explorations of the southern celestial sky, Annals of Science, 44:5, 439-470. [[References (Medieval and Early Modern)|PDF here References (Medieval and Early Modern)]]</ref> Ridpath<ref>Ridpath, Ian * Ridpath, Ian, [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/dorado.html Star Tales: online edition].</ref> (supported by van Gent) argues that the dorado in the sky hunts the flying fish (Volans), and that the Dutch explorer might have observed such a hunt on their journey (cf. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth documentation], also see Maas 1924<ref>Maass, Alfred, ``Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel<nowiki>''</nowiki>, [https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/tbg.html Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde], vol. 64 (1924), pp. 1-172 & 347-459, with a "Nachtrag", vol. 66 (1926), pp. 618-670.</ref>).

Despite translating the Spanish term "dorado" (golden), historical Spanish and other European languages never designated any species of [[wikipedia:Goldfish|goldfish]] (small freshwater pet fish) with the term.

In biology, "Dorado" is the name of two sorts of fish: a freshwater fish in South America and a predatory fish that lives in the ocean. The ocean inhabitants, who had inspired de Houtman and Keyser, are today known as dolphinfishes with the scientific genus name "Coryphaena". The "Common Dolphinfish" (''Coryphaena hippurus'') is called '''''Mahi Mahi,''''' the Hawaiian language term for "very strong". In Persian, the word "mahi" (ماهی) happens to mean "fish" which is unrelated to the Hawaiian term. Although there are other names for the fish in some regions<ref>many names in many languages listed on [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/98531-Coryphaena-hippurus InNaturalist.org]</ref> (e.g. "Lampuka" on the Mediterranean island of Malta and specifically "Ikan Lemadang" in Indonesia, where de Houtman and Keyser invented the celestial name), the Hawaiian term became publicly known. To avoid confusion with dolphins (the sea mammals that are unrelated to all species of fish), the term for the fish that is used in the public, e.g. in restaurants, is Mahi Mahi.

===Modern transformations ===
The standard topic that Dorado hunts Volans can be traced throughout history. Yet, Bode and Goldbach show some anomalies: Bode wrote two books: one in German in 1772 as a very young man, training himself in astronomy ("Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels") and his famous atlas as senior astronomer at the Berlin observatory, ''Uranographia'' (1801). In 1772, he labels Dorado "swordfish" and in his Latin-labelled atlas consequently "Xiphias" (and not "Dorado" like everybody else). Goldbach (1799) reproduces Lacaille's map but labels it in German with the translation "swordfish" while in his own interpretation of the map (next page), he labels Dorado "goldfish". <gallery>
File:Dor+vol Bayer1603.jpg|Bayer (1603): Dorado hunts Volans
File:Dorado+volans Dopplmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's (1742) version of Dorado's hunt of Volans
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) depicts Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo.
File:Dorado Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) labels Dorado "Schwerdt-Fisch" (swordfish)
File:Dor+Vol Fortin 1776-1795.jpg|Fortin's hunt of Volans by Dorado (1775-1795)
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Lacaille dtBeschr Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" hunts Volans (1756, here repro 1799)
File:Dor Lacaille dtBeschr.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" (1756), the German translation in Goldbach 1799 labels it "Schwerdfisch" (swordfish).
File:Dor+vol+arg Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own version of Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo (1799)
File:Dor goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own "Dorado" is labelled "Goldfisch" (goldfish) in German (1799).
File:Simon1894 Dorado+Ret.jpg|Dorado with Reticulum and Pictor at ''Planisferio celeste'' (Carlos Simón 1894)
</gallery>

== IAU Star Name Discussion ==
As the stars of Dorado are rather faint, no one has a proper historical name. The main star is α Dor (3.3 mag) and β Dor has 3.8 mag; all other stars are fainter than 4 mag.

As the official translation of the constellation name should be "Dolphinfish", it might be an idea to name the brightest star (α Dor) with that term (like "Peacock" for alf Pav). The WGSN has also discussed the Indonesia word "'''Ikan Lemadang'''" designating this species, and the term "'''Mahi Mahi'''" which is popular in English restaurant menues. Both names were rejected, the first being a bit mouthful, the second due to a mismatch of cultural origins of the term and constellation invention.

The group also discussed constellation names from Oceania such as:

* '''Kailou''' (Johnson<ref>Johnson, Rubellite, John Mahelona and Clive Ruggles (in press, publication expected in 2026). ''Nā Inoa Hōkū: Hawaiian and Pacific Star Names'', 3rd edn. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref> ''et al''.’s Austronesian star catalogue lists the "Dolphin constellation" ''Kailou'' from the Admiralty Is. and the Kankanaey asterism ''Sipat'', both of which are identified with modern Delphinus or possibly Dorado. Kailou is certainly a fish name in the Manus. Still, it is the wrong type of fish (jack [Carangidae]), (see Akimichi and Sukiyama 2010, 16)<ref>Akimichi, Tomoya and Osamu Sukiyama (2010). ''Manus fish names''. doi.org/10.15021/00004269.</ref> and, once again, the name is more likely to apply to Delphinus rather than Dorado. If we apply "Kailou" here, we probably apply it to the wrong region in the sky. In other words, it is possible that Dorado was known as Kailou in Melanesia and Sipat in the Malay Archipelago, which leads to the suggestion of Kailou and/ or Sipat for stars in Dorado.

* '''"Sipat"'''. According to Ambrosio<ref>Ambrosio, Dante L. (2010). ''Balatik: Etnoastronomiya Kalangitan sa Kabihasnang Pilipino''. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.</ref> (2010, 155): "Sipat and Tudong [another asterism] are mentioned in prayers for the offering of a chicken for someone who cannot control urination, and for the ceremony of ''kentan'', where the rice seedlings are blessed before being planted." Vanoverbergh<ref>Vanoverbergh, Morice, "Kankenay Religion", ''Anthropos'' 67 (1972), 72-128.</ref> (1972, 91) identifies Sipat as "The Dolphin" whereas Tudong is "part of Andromeda, Pisces, Triangulum, and Aries". It is pretty clear that the Dolphin in question is Delphinus, not Dorado. "Sipat" in Tagalog does not mean Dolphin but rather "look carefully". It may have other meanings in other Filipino languages, but these are grounds for ruling out this term for stars in Dorado.

An alternative candidate name is "''Xiphias''" (swordfish), the alias for the constellation name "Dorado," as it appeared in Kepler's Rudolphine Tables (1627). The name "Xiphias" was also applied to the constellation by Halley (1678), Hevelius (1690), and Bode (1801). However, it means "swordfish" and therefore (mis)leads to another species of fish.

== Weblinks ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth (youTube) documenting the hunt of flying fish by the dolphinfish].
* [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/98531-Coryphaena-hippurus "Gemeine Goldmakrele" in InNaturalist.org]

== References==

[[Category:Modern]]
[[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]

Dorado

2024-11-15T01:54:16Z

Cheungszeleung: /* Weblinks */ added a link to the biological information

[[File:DOR (IAU definition).gif|alt=DOR modern map|thumb|The modern map of the IAU-constellation Dorado (S&T graphics)]] One of the 88 official constellations. There is no need to translate the term because "Dorado" already is a modern (not Latin) word and used in many languages to designate a specific sort of fish. For further explanation, "Dorado, the Dolphinfish" would work in English. The Spanish term "dorado" literally means "golden", and it has been used for various type of fish in the past. Given this translation, the constellation name has sometimes been translated as "Goldfish", although the Spanish term always designated exotic fish species from the "new worlds".

==Etymology and History==
[[File:DeHoutman Dorado.JPG|alt=screenshot(s) of text|thumb|de Houtman (1603) "den Dorado". screenshot of star catalogue. ]]
Dorado, the Dolphinfish, has been invented by Pieter Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia (later called "Dutch Indies") 1592-1594. Their catalogue<ref>de Houtman, Frederik (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue in a Dictionary of Malayan language]</ref> of southern stars was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). Before the publication of the star catalogue, de Houtman shared his data with Petrus Plancius, who had actually commissioned this work. Even in the 1590s, Plancius had worked with this material and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south, and so did Johann Bayer's Uranometria (1603).

===Species of Fish===
Following Dekker (1987),<ref>Dekker, E. (1987), Early explorations of the southern celestial sky, Annals of Science, 44:5, 439-470. [[References (Medieval and Early Modern)|PDF here References (Medieval and Early Modern)]]</ref> Ridpath<ref>Ridpath, Ian * Ridpath, Ian, [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/dorado.html Star Tales: online edition].</ref> (supported by van Gent) argues that the dorado in the sky hunts the flying fish (Volans), and that the Dutch explorer might have observed such a hunt on their journey (cf. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth documentation], also see Maas 1924<ref>Maass, Alfred, ``Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel<nowiki>''</nowiki>, [https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/tbg.html Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde], vol. 64 (1924), pp. 1-172 & 347-459, with a "Nachtrag", vol. 66 (1926), pp. 618-670.</ref>).

Despite translating the Spanish term "dorado" (golden), historical Spanish and other European languages never designated any species of [[wikipedia:Goldfish|goldfish]] (small freshwater pet fish) with the term.

In biology, "Dorado" is the name of two sorts of fish: a freshwater fish in South America and a predatory fish that lives in the ocean. The ocean inhabitants, who had inspired de Houtman and Keyser, are today known as dolphinfishes with the scientific genus name "Coryphaena". The "Common Dolphinfish" (''Coryphaena hippurus'') is called '''''Mahi Mahi,''''' the Hawaiian language term for "very strong". In Persian, the word "mahi" (ماهی) happens to mean "fish" which is unrelated to the Hawaiian term. Although there are other names for the fish in some regions (e.g. "Lampuka" on the Mediterranean island of Malta and specifically "Ikan Lemadang" in Indonesia, where de Houtman and Keyser invented the celestial name), the Hawaiian term became publicly known. To avoid confusion with dolphins (the sea mammals that are unrelated to all species of fish), the term for the fish that is used in the public, e.g. in restaurants, is Mahi Mahi.

===Modern transformations ===
The standard topic that Dorado hunts Volans can be traced throughout history. Yet, Bode and Goldbach show some anomalies: Bode wrote two books: one in German in 1772 as a very young man, training himself in astronomy ("Anleitung zur Kenntniß des gestirnten Himmels") and his famous atlas as senior astronomer at the Berlin observatory, ''Uranographia'' (1801). In 1772, he labels Dorado "swordfish" and in his Latin-labelled atlas consequently "Xiphias" (and not "Dorado" like everybody else). Goldbach (1799) reproduces Lacaille's map but labels it in German with the translation "swordfish" while in his own interpretation of the map (next page), he labels Dorado "goldfish". <gallery>
File:Dor+vol Bayer1603.jpg|Bayer (1603): Dorado hunts Volans
File:Dorado+volans Dopplmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's (1742) version of Dorado's hunt of Volans
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) depicts Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo.
File:Dorado Bode1772.jpg|Bode (1772) labels Dorado "Schwerdt-Fisch" (swordfish)
File:Dor+Vol Fortin 1776-1795.jpg|Fortin's hunt of Volans by Dorado (1775-1795)
File:Dor+Vol+Arg Lacaille dtBeschr Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" hunts Volans (1756, here repro 1799)
File:Dor Lacaille dtBeschr.jpg|Lacaille's "Dorado" (1756), the German translation in Goldbach 1799 labels it "Schwerdfisch" (swordfish).
File:Dor+vol+arg Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own version of Dorado hunting Volans next to Argo (1799)
File:Dor goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's own "Dorado" is labelled "Goldfisch" (goldfish) in German (1799).
File:Simon1894 Dorado+Ret.jpg|Dorado with Reticulum and Pictor at ''Planisferio celeste'' (Carlos Simón 1894)
</gallery>

== IAU Star Name Discussion ==
As the stars of Dorado are rather faint, no one has a proper historical name. The main star is α Dor (3.3 mag) and β Dor has 3.8 mag; all other stars are fainter than 4 mag.

As the official translation of the constellation name should be "Dolphinfish", it might be an idea to name the brightest star (α Dor) with that term (like "Peacock" for alf Pav). The WGSN has also discussed the Indonesia word "'''Ikan Lemadang'''" designating this species, and the term "'''Mahi Mahi'''" which is popular in English restaurant menues. Both names were rejected, the first being a bit mouthful, the second due to a mismatch of cultural origins of the term and constellation invention.

The group also discussed names from Oceania such as:

* '''Kailou''' (Johnson<ref>Johnson, Rubellite, John Mahelona and Clive Ruggles (in press, publication expected in 2026). ''Nā Inoa Hōkū: Hawaiian and Pacific Star Names'', 3rd edn. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref> ''et al''.’s Austronesian star catalogue lists the "Dolphin constellation" ''Kailou'' from the Admiralty Is. and the Kankanaey asterism ''Sipat'', both of which are identified with modern Delphinus or possibly Dorado. Kailou is certainly a fish name in the Manus. Still, it is the wrong type of fish (jack [Carangidae]), (see Akimichi and Sukiyama 2010, 16)<ref>Akimichi, Tomoya and Osamu Sukiyama (2010). ''Manus fish names''. doi.org/10.15021/00004269.</ref> and, once again, the name is more likely to apply to Delphinus rather than Dorado. If we apply "Kailou" here, we probably apply it to the wrong region in the sky. In other words, it is possible that Dorado was known as Kailou in Melanesia and Sipat in the Malay Archipelago, which leads to the suggestion of Kailou and/ or Sipat for stars in Dorado.

* '''"Sipat"'''. According to Ambrosio<ref>Ambrosio, Dante L. (2010). ''Balatik: Etnoastronomiya Kalangitan sa Kabihasnang Pilipino''. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.</ref> (2010, 155): "Sipat and Tudong [another asterism] are mentioned in prayers for the offering of a chicken for someone who cannot control urination, and for the ceremony of ''kentan'', where the rice seedlings are blessed before being planted." Vanoverbergh<ref>Vanoverbergh, Morice, "Kankenay Religion", ''Anthropos'' 67 (1972), 72-128.</ref> (1972, 91) identifies Sipat as "The Dolphin" whereas Tudong is "part of Andromeda, Pisces, Triangulum, and Aries". It is pretty clear that the Dolphin in question is Delphinus, not Dorado. "Sipat" in Tagalog does not mean Dolphin but rather "look carefully". It may have other meanings in other Filipino languages, but these are grounds for ruling out this term for stars in Dorado.

An alternative candidate name is "''Xiphias''" (swordfish), the alias for the constellation name "Dorado," as it appeared in Kepler's Rudolphine Tables (1627). The name "Xiphias" was also applied to the constellation by Halley (1678), Hevelius (1690), and Bode (1801). However, it means "swordfish" and therefore (mis)leads to another species of fish.

== Weblinks ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7McNUjWgw BBC Earth (youTube) documenting the hunt of flying fish by the dolphinfish].
* [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/98531-Coryphaena-hippurus "Gemeine Goldmakrele" in InNaturalist.org]

== References==

[[Category:Modern]]
[[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]

User:Cheungszeleung

2024-07-11T10:32:19Z

Cheungszeleung: Created page with "He is associate member of the WGSN. == [https://www.iau.org/administration/membership/individual/16169/ IAU Membership Page] =="

He is associate member of the WGSN.

== [https://www.iau.org/administration/membership/individual/16169/ IAU Membership Page] ==

Tucana

2024-07-11T10:13:46Z

Cheungszeleung: added to the transformation/ naming history

[[File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|alt=bird labelled "Toucan" on Plancius's Globe|thumb|First depiction of Toucan on the Hondius/Plancius globe of 1598.]]
[[File:Exster (name in first publication).jpg|alt=section of de Houtman's star catalogue (1603) with the headline "Exster"|thumb|The name "Indiaenschen Exster" ["Indian Magpie"] was given to the constellation by de Houtman (1603) in the first printed catalogue of the southernmost stars.]]
[[File:TUC (IAU constellation).gif|alt=modern map of constellation Tucana|thumb|Constellation Tucana (modern definition: S&T Graphics)]]
"den Indiaenschen Exster, op Indies Lang ghenaemt" (the Indian Magpie, known as "Lang" in the Indies) was the original Dutch name of the constellation of the bird that is now called "Toucan" (Tucana, Tuc). The constellation was invented by Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia in 1595/6.

== Invention & Transformation ==
The southern star catalog by de Houtman<ref>Frederik de Houtman (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue concerning the Indian Magpie]</ref> and Keyser was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). This star catalog was written in Dutch (with later translations to French,<ref>Marre, Aristide, “Catalogue des étoiles circumpolaires australes observées dans l'Ile de Sumatra”, ''Bulletin sciences mathématiques et astronomiques'', '''1''' (1881), 336–352 [[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1881BSMA....5..336H/abstract ADS link]].</ref> English<ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations”, ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 414–432 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.5.414 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..414K/abstract ADS link]].</ref><ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “Note on the paper 'On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations' ", ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 580 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.8.580 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..580K/abstract ADS link]].</ref> and Spanish<ref>Selga, Miguel, "Un catálogo antiguo de estrellas australes", ''Revista de la Sociedad Astronómica de España y América'', '''8''' (1918), 84-90 & '''9''' (1919), 11, 44-46 & 62-63 [online link(?)].</ref>). This printed catalogue of 1603 was made from observations collected by de Houtman on his second voyage (1598-1602) and during the two-year period when he was held as a hostage by the Sultan of Aceh on Northern Sumatra. At that time, de Houtman worked for W.J. Blaeu, a Plancius competitor, who used the data on his celestial globe of 1603.

Before the publication of his star catalogue, de Houtman had shared the data from the first voyage (1595/6) with Petrus Plancius who had actually commissioned this work. Plancius used the data collected by Pieter Dircksz Keyser on the exploration "Eerste Schipvaart" ('de eerste schipvaart op Oost-Indie'); De Houtman may have assisted in making these observations, and as Keyser was buried on the island of Java, de Houtman may also have been the person who personally communicated Keyser’s data to Plancius in 1597, but this is nowhere explicitly stated, it is just assumed because Plancius had worked with this material, and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south. The images had the labels "Indian" and "Toucan" left and right of the bird, while the left label ("Indian") also referred to the male figure northwest of it. Petrus Plancius' work and/or its copies by W. J. Blaeu served as source for Bayer's ''Uranometria'' (1603). Bayer's map of the south pole also displays the image with the label "Toucan" and an extraordinarily long beak.

=== Species of this bird ===
The additional phrase in de Houtman's catalog, mentioning that the bird was named "Lang" is occasionally misinterpreted to be the cause for this depiction, implying that "Lang" in Dutch means "long" and refers to the beak. In de Houtman's days the Dutch word for long was usually spelled as "lanck", so "Lang" is actually the name of the bird in the Malay language (cf. Maass 1926)<ref>Maass, Alfred, "Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel", ''Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde'', '''64''' (1924), 1-172 & 347-459 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1924_64.pdf online link]], with a "Nachtrag", '''66''' (1926), 618-670 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1926_66.pdf online link]].</ref>. According to the [https://archive.org/details/aeg2034.0001.001.umich.edu/page/599/mode/1up Malay-English Dictionary (1901)], it is the a generic term for birds of prey such as hawks, kites, falcons and eagles.

The hornbill's beak and crown start off white, but they may gradually turn orange and red because the hornbill rubs its beak against a gland. Although hornbills' favorite food is fig leaves, they also commonly eat insects, mice, lizards, and small birds.

==== Indigenous importance ====

In the Indonesian language, the bird is called "Burung Enggang" or "Burung Rangkong." Renowned on the island of Borneo, this human-friendly hornbill is closely associated with the Dayak people. In Dayak philosophy, the bird holds great significance and is deeply embedded in their culture and local wisdom. The hornbill symbolises the close connection of the Indonesian people to their natural surroundings. Its entire body represents the greatness and glory of the tribe, symbolising peace and unity, with its thick wings denoting a leader who always protects his people. The long tail is viewed as a sign of the prosperity of the Dayak people. Moreover, the hornbill serves as an example of family life in the community, teaching them always to love their partners and raise their children to become independent and mature Dayaks.

<gallery>
File:Talawang-Perisai-Tradisi-Suku-Dayak-941x480.jpg|Dayak tribal magical shield which has a picture of a hornbill in the carving (Youla Azkarrula 2024)
File:Hornbill Thailand 2023.jpg|hornbill in a tree in Thailand (photograph by Cheung Sze Leung)
File:Great hornbill Photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar.jpg|This file is from Wikimedia Commons and may be used by other projects. The description on its file description page there is shown below. Photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar Location : Raigad, Maharashtra, India (2020)
</gallery>

====Mythology====

A Dayak story from Kalimantan reports that hornbills are the incarnation of the Bird Commander. Panglima Burung is a figure who lives in the mountains of inland Kalimantan and has a magical form and will only be present during war. In general, this bird is considered sacred and is not allowed to be hunted or eaten. Even today, the government protects this species by law.

===Possible origins of the interpretation of a Toucan===
Toucans are not home to the East Indies and Malaysia. [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html Ridpath] suggests that the inventor of this constellation was actually Pieter Keyser who had not survived the expedition to the East Indies but had previously visited South America. Hoffmann (2021, 108) considers an image or sculpture of the bird enough to confuse naming. Thus, Plancius and de Houtman would also be possible inventors because baroque ‘wunderkamers’ could certainly have played a mediating role here. Rob van Gent adds that is not necessary that Keyser, de Houtman or Plancius actually saw a live (or dead) toucan as they are bound to descriptions and depictions of the bird in 16th-century travel literature: in particular Plancius would surely have been familiar with these.

With the above mentioned facts on the significance of hornbills in the Indonesian Dayak culture, it appears even more likely that de Houtman (with or without Keyser) named the constellation of the "Indiaenische Exster" (in Dutch) after the hornbill. As the biological differences between hornbills and toucans were likely unknown, the name of the constellation might simply be a confusion caused by the lack of biological knowledge.

===Versions in early modern celestial maps===
<gallery>
File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|Plancius' Toucan (1598)
File:Tuc Bayer.png|Bayer's Toucan (1603)
File:Tucana blaeu 1603.jpg|On Blaeu's 1603 globe the bird is named Pica Indica ab Indis Lang, and is drawn as a hornbill, not a toucan.
File:Toucan doppelmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's Toucan (1742)
File:Toucan Lacaille Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's Toucan (1756)
File:Toucan Bode1772.jpg|Bode's Toucan (1772)
File:Toucan Fortin1775-1795.jpg|Fortin's Toucan (1775-1795)
File:Toucan Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's Toucan (1799) looks like a sparrow
</gallery>

== Modern Star Name==
"Exster" is proposed as name for the main star of the modern IAU-constellation of Tucana (alf Tuc).

"Lang" is proposed as name for beta Tuc.

(or vice versa?)
==References==

*Ian Ridpath, Star Tales. [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html website]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:Modern]]

<references />

Tucana

2024-07-11T10:01:12Z

Cheungszeleung: added media

[[File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|alt=bird labelled "Toucan" on Plancius's Globe|thumb|First depiction of Toucan on the Hondius/Plancius globe of 1598.]]
[[File:Exster (name in first publication).jpg|alt=section of de Houtman's star catalogue (1603) with the headline "Exster"|thumb|The name "Indiaenschen Exster" ["Indian Magpie"] was given to the constellation by de Houtman (1603) in the first printed catalogue of the southernmost stars.]]
[[File:TUC (IAU constellation).gif|alt=modern map of constellation Tucana|thumb|Constellation Tucana (modern definition: S&T Graphics)]]
"den Indiaenschen Exster, op Indies Lang ghenaemt" (the Indian Magpie, known as "Lang" in the Indies) was the original Dutch name of the constellation of the bird that is now called "Toucan" (Tucana, Tuc). The constellation was invented by Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia in 1595/6.

== Invention & Transformation ==
The southern star catalog by de Houtman<ref>Frederik de Houtman (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue concerning the Indian Magpie]</ref> and Keyser was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). This star catalog was written in Dutch (with later translations to French,<ref>Marre, Aristide, “Catalogue des étoiles circumpolaires australes observées dans l'Ile de Sumatra”, ''Bulletin sciences mathématiques et astronomiques'', '''1''' (1881), 336–352 [[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1881BSMA....5..336H/abstract ADS link]].</ref> English<ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations”, ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 414–432 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.5.414 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..414K/abstract ADS link]].</ref><ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “Note on the paper 'On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations' ", ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 580 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.8.580 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..580K/abstract ADS link]].</ref> and Spanish<ref>Selga, Miguel, "Un catálogo antiguo de estrellas australes", ''Revista de la Sociedad Astronómica de España y América'', '''8''' (1918), 84-90 & '''9''' (1919), 11, 44-46 & 62-63 [online link(?)].</ref>). This printed catalogue of 1603 was made from observations collected by de Houtman on his second voyage (1598-1602) and during the two-year period when he was held as a hostage by the Sultan of Aceh on Northern Sumatra. At that time, de Houtman worked for W.J. Blaeu, a Plancius competitor, who used the data on his celestial globe of 1603.

Before the publication of his star catalogue, de Houtman had shared the data from the first voyage (1595/6) with Petrus Plancius who had actually commissioned this work. Plancius used the data collected by Pieter Dircksz Keyser on the exploration "Eerste Schipvaart" ('de eerste schipvaart op Oost-Indie'); De Houtman may have assisted in making these observations, and as Keyser was buried on the island of Java, de Houtman may also have been the person who personally communicated Keyser’s data to Plancius in 1597, but this is nowhere explicitly stated, it is just assumed because Plancius had worked with this material, and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south. The images had the labels "Indian" and "Toucan" left and right of the bird, while the left label ("Indian") also referred to the male figure northwest of it. Petrus Plancius' work and/or its copies by W. J. Blaeu served as source for Bayer's ''Uranometria'' (1603). Bayer's map of the south pole also displays the image with the label "Toucan" and an extraordinarily long beak.

=== Species of this bird ===
The additional phrase in de Houtman's catalog, mentioning that the bird was named "Lang" is occasionally misinterpreted to be the cause for this depiction, implying that "Lang" in Dutch means "long" and refers to the beak. In de Houtman's days the Dutch word for long was usually spelled as "lanck", so "Lang" is actually the name of the bird in the Malay language (cf. Maass 1926)<ref>Maass, Alfred, "Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel", ''Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde'', '''64''' (1924), 1-172 & 347-459 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1924_64.pdf online link]], with a "Nachtrag", '''66''' (1926), 618-670 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1926_66.pdf online link]].</ref>. According to the [https://archive.org/details/aeg2034.0001.001.umich.edu/page/599/mode/1up Malay-English Dictionary (1901)], it is the a generic term for birds of prey such as hawks, kites, falcons and eagles.

The hornbill's beak and crown start off white, but they may gradually turn orange and red because the hornbill rubs its beak against a gland. Although hornbills' favorite food is fig leaves, they also commonly eat insects, mice, lizards, and small birds.

==== Indigenous importance ====

In the Indonesian language, the bird is called "Burung Enggang" or "Burung Rangkong." Renowned on the island of Borneo, this human-friendly hornbill is closely associated with the Dayak people. In Dayak philosophy, the bird holds great significance and is deeply embedded in their culture and local wisdom. The hornbill symbolises the close connection of the Indonesian people to their natural surroundings. Its entire body represents the greatness and glory of the tribe, symbolising peace and unity, with its thick wings denoting a leader who always protects his people. The long tail is viewed as a sign of the prosperity of the Dayak people. Moreover, the hornbill serves as an example of family life in the community, teaching them always to love their partners and raise their children to become independent and mature Dayaks.

<gallery>
File:Talawang-Perisai-Tradisi-Suku-Dayak-941x480.jpg|Dayak tribal magical shield which has a picture of a hornbill in the carving (Youla Azkarrula 2024)
File:Hornbill Thailand 2023.jpg|hornbill in a tree in Thailand (photograph by Cheung Sze Leung)
File:Great hornbill Photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar.jpg|This file is from Wikimedia Commons and may be used by other projects. The description on its file description page there is shown below. Photograph by Shantanu Kuveskar Location : Raigad, Maharashtra, India (2020)
</gallery>

====Mythology====

A Dayak story from Kalimantan reports that hornbills are the incarnation of the Bird Commander. Panglima Burung is a figure who lives in the mountains of inland Kalimantan and has a magical form and will only be present during war. In general, this bird is considered sacred and is not allowed to be hunted or eaten. Even today, the government protects this species by law.

===Possible origins of the interpretation of a Toucan===
Toucans are not home to the East Indies and Malaysia. It has been suggested that images like this lead to the new interpretation of the constellation as a Toucan, although de Houtman certainly did not describe a toucan but an hornbill (cf. Smith 2007<ref>Smith, Paul J., "On Toucans and Hornbills: Readings in Early Modern Ornithology from Belon to Buffon", in: K.A.E. Enenkel & P.J. Smith (eds.), ''Early Modern Zoology: The Construction of Animals in Science, Literature and the Visual Arts'' (Leiden: Brill, 2007) 75–119 [[https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004131880.i-657.24 doi link]].</ref> and Ridpath).

[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html Ridpath] suggests that the inventor of this constellation was actually Pieter Keyser who had not survived the expedition to the East Indies but had previously visited South America. Hoffmann (2021, 108) suggests Plancius and de Houtman as also possible because baroque ‘wunderkamers’ could certainly have played a mediating role here. Rob van Gent here adds that is not necessary that Keyser, de Houtman or Plancius actually saw a live (or dead) toucan as they are bound to descriptions and depictions of the bird in 16th-century travel literature: in particular Plancius would surely have been familiar with these.

===Versions in early modern celestial maps===
<gallery>
File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|Plancius' Toucan (1598)
File:Tuc Bayer.png|Bayer's Toucan (1603)
File:Tucana blaeu 1603.jpg|On Blaeu's 1603 globe the bird is named Pica Indica ab Indis Lang, and is drawn as a hornbill, not a toucan.
File:Toucan doppelmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's Toucan (1742)
File:Toucan Lacaille Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's Toucan (1756)
File:Toucan Bode1772.jpg|Bode's Toucan (1772)
File:Toucan Fortin1775-1795.jpg|Fortin's Toucan (1775-1795)
File:Toucan Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's Toucan (1799) looks like a sparrow
</gallery>

== Modern Star Name==
"Exster" is proposed as name for the main star of the modern IAU-constellation of Tucana (alf Tuc).

"Lang" is proposed as name for beta Tuc.

(or vice versa?)
==References==

*Ian Ridpath, Star Tales. [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html website]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:Modern]]

<references />

File:Hornbill flight Thailand 2023.mp4

2024-07-11T09:26:26Z

Cheungszeleung: observation of a hornbill in Thailand 2023, take by Cheung Sze Leung

== Summary ==
observation of a hornbill in Thailand 2023, take by Cheung Sze Leung

Tucana

2024-07-11T09:20:21Z

Cheungszeleung: /* Possible origins of the interpretation of a Toucan */

[[File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|alt=bird labelled "Toucan" on Plancius's Globe|thumb|First depiction of Toucan on the Hondius/Plancius globe of 1598.]]
[[File:Exster (name in first publication).jpg|alt=section of de Houtman's star catalogue (1603) with the headline "Exster"|thumb|The name "Indiaenschen Exster" ["Indian Magpie"] was given to the constellation by de Houtman (1603) in the first printed catalogue of the southernmost stars.]]
[[File:TUC (IAU constellation).gif|alt=modern map of constellation Tucana|thumb|Constellation Tucana (modern definition: S&T Graphics)]]
"den Indiaenschen Exster, op Indies Lang ghenaemt" (the Indian Magpie, known as "Lang" in the Indies) was the original Dutch name of the constellation of the bird that is now called "Toucan" (Tucana, Tuc). The constellation was invented by Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia in 1595/6.

== Invention & Transformation ==
The southern star catalog by de Houtman<ref>Frederik de Houtman (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue concerning the Indian Magpie]</ref> and Keyser was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). This star catalog was written in Dutch (with later translations to French,<ref>Marre, Aristide, “Catalogue des étoiles circumpolaires australes observées dans l'Ile de Sumatra”, ''Bulletin sciences mathématiques et astronomiques'', '''1''' (1881), 336–352 [[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1881BSMA....5..336H/abstract ADS link]].</ref> English<ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations”, ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 414–432 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.5.414 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..414K/abstract ADS link]].</ref><ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “Note on the paper 'On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations' ", ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 580 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.8.580 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..580K/abstract ADS link]].</ref> and Spanish<ref>Selga, Miguel, "Un catálogo antiguo de estrellas australes", ''Revista de la Sociedad Astronómica de España y América'', '''8''' (1918), 84-90 & '''9''' (1919), 11, 44-46 & 62-63 [online link(?)].</ref>). This printed catalogue of 1603 was made from observations collected by de Houtman on his second voyage (1598-1602) and during the two-year period when he was held as a hostage by the Sultan of Aceh on Northern Sumatra. At that time, de Houtman worked for W.J. Blaeu, a Plancius competitor, who used the data on his celestial globe of 1603.

Before the publication of his star catalogue, de Houtman had shared the data from the first voyage (1595/6) with Petrus Plancius who had actually commissioned this work. Plancius used the data collected by Pieter Dircksz Keyser on the exploration "Eerste Schipvaart" ('de eerste schipvaart op Oost-Indie'); De Houtman may have assisted in making these observations, and as Keyser was buried on the island of Java, de Houtman may also have been the person who personally communicated Keyser’s data to Plancius in 1597, but this is nowhere explicitly stated, it is just assumed because Plancius had worked with this material, and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south. The images had the labels "Indian" and "Toucan" left and right of the bird, while the left label ("Indian") also referred to the male figure northwest of it. Petrus Plancius' work and/or its copies by W. J. Blaeu served as source for Bayer's ''Uranometria'' (1603). Bayer's map of the south pole also displays the image with the label "Toucan" and an extraordinarily long beak.

=== Species of this bird ===
The additional phrase in de Houtman's catalog, mentioning that the bird was named "Lang" is occasionally misinterpreted to be the cause for this depiction, implying that "Lang" in Dutch means "long" and refers to the beak. In de Houtman's days the Dutch word for long was usually spelled as "lanck", so "Lang" is actually the name of the bird in the Malay language (cf. Maass 1926)<ref>Maass, Alfred, "Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel", ''Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde'', '''64''' (1924), 1-172 & 347-459 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1924_64.pdf online link]], with a "Nachtrag", '''66''' (1926), 618-670 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1926_66.pdf online link]].</ref>. According to the [https://archive.org/details/aeg2034.0001.001.umich.edu/page/599/mode/1up Malay-English Dictionary (1901)], it is the a generic term for birds of prey such as hawks, kites, falcons and eagles.

The hornbill's beak and crown start off white, but they may gradually turn orange and red because the hornbill rubs its beak against a gland. Although hornbills' favorite food is fig leaves, they also commonly eat insects, mice, lizards, and small birds.

==== Indigenous importance ====

In the Indonesian language, the bird is called "Burung Enggang" or "Burung Rangkong." Renowned on the island of Borneo, this human-friendly hornbill is closely associated with the Dayak people. In Dayak philosophy, the bird holds great significance and is deeply embedded in their culture and local wisdom. The hornbill symbolises the close connection of the Indonesian people to their natural surroundings. Its entire body represents the greatness and glory of the tribe, symbolising peace and unity, with its thick wings denoting a leader who always protects his people. The long tail is viewed as a sign of the prosperity of the Dayak people. Moreover, the hornbill serves as an example of family life in the community, teaching them always to love their partners and raise their children to become independent and mature Dayaks.

<gallery>
File:Talawang-Perisai-Tradisi-Suku-Dayak-941x480.jpg|Dayak tribal magical shield which has a picture of a hornbill in the carving (Youla Azkarrula 2024)
File:Hornbill Thailand 2023.jpg|hornbill in a tree in Thailand (photograph by Cheung Sze Leung)
</gallery>

====Mythology====

A Dayak story from Kalimantan reports that hornbills are the incarnation of the Bird Commander. Panglima Burung is a figure who lives in the mountains of inland Kalimantan and has a magical form and will only be present during war. In general, this bird is considered sacred and is not allowed to be hunted or eaten. Even today, the government protects this species by law.

===Possible origins of the interpretation of a Toucan===
Toucans are not home to the East Indies and Malaysia. It has been suggested that images like this lead to the new interpretation of the constellation as a Toucan, although de Houtman certainly did not describe a toucan but an hornbill (cf. Smith 2007<ref>Smith, Paul J., "On Toucans and Hornbills: Readings in Early Modern Ornithology from Belon to Buffon", in: K.A.E. Enenkel & P.J. Smith (eds.), ''Early Modern Zoology: The Construction of Animals in Science, Literature and the Visual Arts'' (Leiden: Brill, 2007) 75–119 [[https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004131880.i-657.24 doi link]].</ref> and Ridpath).

[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html Ridpath] suggests that the inventor of this constellation was actually Pieter Keyser who had not survived the expedition to the East Indies but had previously visited South America. Hoffmann (2021, 108) suggests Plancius and de Houtman as also possible because baroque ‘wunderkamers’ could certainly have played a mediating role here. Rob van Gent here adds that is not necessary that Keyser, de Houtman or Plancius actually saw a live (or dead) toucan as they are bound to descriptions and depictions of the bird in 16th-century travel literature: in particular Plancius would surely have been familiar with these.

===Versions in early modern celestial maps===
<gallery>
File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|Plancius' Toucan (1598)
File:Tuc Bayer.png|Bayer's Toucan (1603)
File:Tucana blaeu 1603.jpg|On Blaeu's 1603 globe the bird is named Pica Indica ab Indis Lang, and is drawn as a hornbill, not a toucan.
File:Toucan doppelmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's Toucan (1742)
File:Toucan Lacaille Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's Toucan (1756)
File:Toucan Bode1772.jpg|Bode's Toucan (1772)
File:Toucan Fortin1775-1795.jpg|Fortin's Toucan (1775-1795)
File:Toucan Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's Toucan (1799) looks like a sparrow
</gallery>

== Modern Star Name==
"Exster" is proposed as name for the main star of the modern IAU-constellation of Tucana (alf Tuc).

"Lang" is proposed as name for beta Tuc.

(or vice versa?)
==References==

*Ian Ridpath, Star Tales. [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html website]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:Modern]]

<references />

Tucana

2024-07-11T09:16:11Z

Cheungszeleung: added image from Cheung Sze Leung and Youla Azkarrula

[[File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|alt=bird labelled "Toucan" on Plancius's Globe|thumb|First depiction of Toucan on the Hondius/Plancius globe of 1598.]]
[[File:Exster (name in first publication).jpg|alt=section of de Houtman's star catalogue (1603) with the headline "Exster"|thumb|The name "Indiaenschen Exster" ["Indian Magpie"] was given to the constellation by de Houtman (1603) in the first printed catalogue of the southernmost stars.]]
[[File:TUC (IAU constellation).gif|alt=modern map of constellation Tucana|thumb|Constellation Tucana (modern definition: S&T Graphics)]]
"den Indiaenschen Exster, op Indies Lang ghenaemt" (the Indian Magpie, known as "Lang" in the Indies) was the original Dutch name of the constellation of the bird that is now called "Toucan" (Tucana, Tuc). The constellation was invented by Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman on their journey to Indonesia in 1595/6.

== Invention & Transformation ==
The southern star catalog by de Houtman<ref>Frederik de Houtman (1603) [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Star Catalogue concerning the Indian Magpie]</ref> and Keyser was published by de [https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/index.php?obj=1874-205055&lan=en#page//10/65/92/106592907949460216143244254321834124579.jpg/mode/1up Houtman in 1603 as an appendix] to a dictionary of the Malaysian (and other) language(s). This star catalog was written in Dutch (with later translations to French,<ref>Marre, Aristide, “Catalogue des étoiles circumpolaires australes observées dans l'Ile de Sumatra”, ''Bulletin sciences mathématiques et astronomiques'', '''1''' (1881), 336–352 [[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1881BSMA....5..336H/abstract ADS link]].</ref> English<ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations”, ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 414–432 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.5.414 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..414K/abstract ADS link]].</ref><ref>Knobel, Edward Ball, “Note on the paper 'On Frederick de Houtman's catalogue of southern stars, and the origin of the southern constellations' ", ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', '''77''' (1917), 580 [[https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/77.8.580 doi link] / [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1917MNRAS..77..580K/abstract ADS link]].</ref> and Spanish<ref>Selga, Miguel, "Un catálogo antiguo de estrellas australes", ''Revista de la Sociedad Astronómica de España y América'', '''8''' (1918), 84-90 & '''9''' (1919), 11, 44-46 & 62-63 [online link(?)].</ref>). This printed catalogue of 1603 was made from observations collected by de Houtman on his second voyage (1598-1602) and during the two-year period when he was held as a hostage by the Sultan of Aceh on Northern Sumatra. At that time, de Houtman worked for W.J. Blaeu, a Plancius competitor, who used the data on his celestial globe of 1603.

Before the publication of his star catalogue, de Houtman had shared the data from the first voyage (1595/6) with Petrus Plancius who had actually commissioned this work. Plancius used the data collected by Pieter Dircksz Keyser on the exploration "Eerste Schipvaart" ('de eerste schipvaart op Oost-Indie'); De Houtman may have assisted in making these observations, and as Keyser was buried on the island of Java, de Houtman may also have been the person who personally communicated Keyser’s data to Plancius in 1597, but this is nowhere explicitly stated, it is just assumed because Plancius had worked with this material, and his [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/plancius-globe.html celestial globe of 1598] already displayed paintings of the newly invented constellations in the south. The images had the labels "Indian" and "Toucan" left and right of the bird, while the left label ("Indian") also referred to the male figure northwest of it. Petrus Plancius' work and/or its copies by W. J. Blaeu served as source for Bayer's ''Uranometria'' (1603). Bayer's map of the south pole also displays the image with the label "Toucan" and an extraordinarily long beak.

=== Species of this bird ===
The additional phrase in de Houtman's catalog, mentioning that the bird was named "Lang" is occasionally misinterpreted to be the cause for this depiction, implying that "Lang" in Dutch means "long" and refers to the beak. In de Houtman's days the Dutch word for long was usually spelled as "lanck", so "Lang" is actually the name of the bird in the Malay language (cf. Maass 1926)<ref>Maass, Alfred, "Sternkunde und Sterndeuterei im malaiischen Archipel", ''Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde'', '''64''' (1924), 1-172 & 347-459 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1924_64.pdf online link]], with a "Nachtrag", '''66''' (1926), 618-670 [[https://kitlv-docs.library.leiden.edu/open/Metamorfoze/TBG/MMKITLV01_PDF_TS2332_1926_66.pdf online link]].</ref>. According to the [https://archive.org/details/aeg2034.0001.001.umich.edu/page/599/mode/1up Malay-English Dictionary (1901)], it is the a generic term for birds of prey such as hawks, kites, falcons and eagles.

The hornbill's beak and crown start off white, but they may gradually turn orange and red because the hornbill rubs its beak against a gland. Although hornbills' favorite food is fig leaves, they also commonly eat insects, mice, lizards, and small birds.

==== Indigenous importance ====
[[File:Hornbill Thailand 2023.jpg|thumb|a hornbill in Thailand (2023), photograph by Cheung Sze Leung]]
In the Indonesian language, the bird is called "Burung Enggang" or "Burung Rangkong." Renowned on the island of Borneo, this human-friendly hornbill is closely associated with the Dayak people. In Dayak philosophy, the bird holds great significance and is deeply embedded in their culture and local wisdom. The hornbill symbolises the close connection of the Indonesian people to their natural surroundings. Its entire body represents the greatness and glory of the tribe, symbolising peace and unity, with its thick wings denoting a leader who always protects his people. The long tail is viewed as a sign of the prosperity of the Dayak people. Moreover, the hornbill serves as an example of family life in the community, teaching them always to love their partners and raise their children to become independent and mature Dayaks.

==== Mythology ====
[[File:Talawang-Perisai-Tradisi-Suku-Dayak-941x480.jpg|alt=photograph of five shields, the middle one displaying a hornbill|thumb|Dayak tribal magical shield which has a picture of a hornbill in the carving (Youla Azkarrula 2024)]]
A Dayak story from Kalimantan reports that hornbills are the incarnation of the Bird Commander. Panglima Burung is a figure who lives in the mountains of inland Kalimantan and has a magical form and will only be present during war. In general, this bird is considered sacred and is not allowed to be hunted or eaten. Even today, the government protects this species by law.

=== Possible origins of the interpretation of a Toucan ===
Toucans are not home to the East Indies and Malaysia. It has been suggested that images like this lead to the new interpretation of the constellation as a Toucan, although de Houtman certainly did not describe a toucan but an hornbill (cf. Smith 2007<ref>Smith, Paul J., "On Toucans and Hornbills: Readings in Early Modern Ornithology from Belon to Buffon", in: K.A.E. Enenkel & P.J. Smith (eds.), ''Early Modern Zoology: The Construction of Animals in Science, Literature and the Visual Arts'' (Leiden: Brill, 2007) 75–119 [[https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004131880.i-657.24 doi link]].</ref> and Ridpath).

[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html Ridpath] suggests that the inventor of this constellation was actually Pieter Keyser who had not survived the expedition to the East Indies but had previously visited South America. Hoffmann (2021, 108) suggests Plancius and de Houtman as also possible because baroque ‘wunderkamers’ could certainly have played a mediating role here. Rob van Gent here adds that is not necessary that Keyser, de Houtman or Plancius actually saw a live (or dead) toucan as they are bound to descriptions and depictions of the bird in 16th-century travel literature: in particular Plancius would surely have been familiar with these.

=== Versions ===
<gallery>
File:Toucan plancius1598.jpg|Plancius' Toucan (1598)
File:Tuc Bayer.png|Bayer's Toucan (1603)
File:Tucana blaeu 1603.jpg|On Blaeu's 1603 globe the bird is named Pica Indica ab Indis Lang, and is drawn as a hornbill, not a toucan.
File:Toucan doppelmayr1742.jpg|Doppelmayr's Toucan (1742)
File:Toucan Lacaille Goldbach.jpg|Lacaille's Toucan (1756)
File:Toucan Bode1772.jpg|Bode's Toucan (1772)
File:Toucan Fortin1775-1795.jpg|Fortin's Toucan (1775-1795)
File:Toucan Goldbach1799.jpg|Goldbach's Toucan (1799) looks like a sparrow
</gallery>

== Modern Star Name ==
"Exster" is proposed as name for the main star of the modern IAU-constellation of Tucana (alf Tuc).

"Lang" is proposed as name for beta Tuc.

(or vice versa?)
== References ==

* Ian Ridpath, Star Tales. [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/tucana.html website]
[[Category:Eurasia]]
[[Category:European]]
[[Category:Modern]]

File:Talawang-Perisai-Tradisi-Suku-Dayak-941x480.jpg

2024-07-11T09:14:20Z

Cheungszeleung:

Dayak tribal magical shield which has a picture of a hornbill in the carving (Youla Azkarrula 2024)

File:Hornbill Thailand 2023.jpg

2024-07-11T09:11:05Z

Cheungszeleung:

a hornbill in Thailand, photograph by Cheung Sze Leung