Merak
From All Skies Encyclopaedia
Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula
| Asterism Info | |
| Native | المراقّ |
|---|---|
| Translation | the Loins (of the bear) |
| Position (2000) | |
| Right ascension | 165.4603323 |
| Declination | 56.38243365 |
| Area | 0 sq. deg. |
| Stars | |
| Bright stars | 1 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 1 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 0 |
| Brightest star | Merak (2.37m) |
| Taxonomy | |
| category of asterism | IAU-Star Name |
| IAU- constellations | UMa |
Merak 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 53910 (β UMa, HR 4295) in constellation UMa.
Etymology and History
Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of its sci-A name maraqq al-dubb al-akbar, "the Flank (or Groin) of the Greater Bear".
Mythology
IAU Working Group on Star Names
The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/06/30.
Weblinks
- Website of the IAU WGSN: https://exopla.net/
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.
