Kitalpha

From All Skies Encyclopaedia

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula


Kitalpha
Asterism Info
Native
قطعة الفرس
Translation
Part of the Horse
Position (2000)
Right ascension318.9559882
Declination5.247891952
Area0 sq. deg.
Stars
Bright stars1
Bayer/Flamsteed
stars
1
Stars brighter than 3.00m0
Brightest starKitalpha (3.933m)
Taxonomy
category
of asterism
IAU-Star Name
IAU-
constellations
Equ

Kitalpha is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Arabic. It is the name of HIP 104987 (α Equ, HR 8131) in constellation Equ.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from the sci-A constellation name qit'at al-faras, "the Section of the Horse", for Equuleus. Ptolemy had Ἵππου Προτομή, "the First Half of the Horse", for the constellation, because it shows only half the figure (as with the constellations Taurus, Pegasus, and the Greek ship Argo).

Mythology

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/08/21.

Reference

  • References (general)
  • Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub.