Uttara Āṣāḍhā (उत्तर आषाढा)

Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann

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Uttara Ashadha, 21st nakshatra,

The 20th and 21st nakshatra mapped to the star chart (Stellarium). Together, these two asterisms form "The Invincible" in modern Sagittarius. Animated GIF by SMH 2025 for WGSN. Uttara A. is the latter (eastern, left here).

Uttara Āṣāḍhā (उत्तर आषाढा), The Second Invincible, is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it. Typically identified with ζ and σ Sagittarii.

Etymology and History

Name Variants

• Uttara Ashadha
• Vaiśvadeva

Origin of Constellation

Ashadha means The Invincible and refers to two asterisms in Sagittarius. The Latter (Uttara A.) is depcted as a group of two stars that are typically taken for ζ and σ Sagittarii but they actually form part of a recognizable quadrilateral which is not really logical. Yet, the identification is certain because of given coordinates for σ Sagittarii in the 2nd millennium; whether it was a different asterism BCE, is, of course, not certain.

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	Nunki	HIP 92855	Constellation lines (Vertex)	2.067
2	Ascella	HIP 93506	Constellation lines (Vertex)	2.59
3	ϕ Sagittarii	HIP 92041	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.14
4	τ Sagittarii	HIP 93864	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.31
5	109 G. Sgr	HIP 92635	Inside the hull	6.29

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 
  Uttara Ashadha,
• 
  Display of all 28th nakshatras in silver arch with candles in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
• 
  Display of all 28th nakshatras in a door frame in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
• 
  Uttara Ashada, Tibetean
• 
  Uttara Ashadha
• 
  Uttara Ashadha, reconstructed by Jones (1720)

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

References

• References (general)