Pulcherrima - Revision history

IanRidpath: /* IAU Working Group on Star Names */ Copy edit, added note about Struve number in caption.

2026-04-18T08:58:42Z

IAU Working Group on Star Names: Copy edit, added note about Struve number in caption.

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	Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}		Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
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	[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837 ]]		[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837. Epsilon Boötis was number 1877 in this catalogue, and so is also known as Struve 1877, STF 1877, or Σ 1877. ]]
	[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]		[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]
	The name Pulcherrima comes from a description of the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.5 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016 ~~and in~~ 2026, ε Boo B was named Pulcherrima.		The name Pulcherrima comes from a description of the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.6 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016. In 2026 ε Boo B was named Pulcherrima.

	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History==
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	The name '''Pulcherrima''' was adopted by the IAU Working Group Star Names for Epsilon Boötis B (HR 5505, HD 129988, HIP 72105 B) on April 15, 2026. The companion star to Epsilon Boötis was unknown before its discovery by Herschel in the late 18th century, so it has no earlier cultural names, and the name Pulcherrima would recognize the descriptions of the "beautiful" double star by the famous double star observers William Herschel and Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.		The name '''Pulcherrima''' was adopted by the IAU Working Group Star Names for Epsilon Boötis B (HR 5505, HD 129988, HIP 72105 B) on April 15, 2026. The companion star to Epsilon Boötis was unknown before its discovery by Herschel in the late 18th century, so it has no earlier cultural names, and the name Pulcherrima would recognize the descriptions of the "beautiful" double star by the famous double star observers William Herschel and Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.

	Pulcherrima (Epsilon Boo B) has apparent V magnitude 4.08 and spectral type A0V ~~(Abt & Morrell 1995)~~. According to the Washington Double Star catalog, where the binary is IDed as WDS J14450+2704 or STF 1877, the position angle of the binary has only moved by about 29 degrees between the time of Struve (1822) and recently (2024), with the separation changing negligible (2.2 to 2.4 arcseconds). The slow change in the position angle suggests that the orbital period might be of the order a few thousand years, and indeed no computed orbit appears in the ORB6 catalog of double star orbits. The system appears to be approximately 70 parsecs away. A distant third component (IDed in SIMBAD as eps Boo C or Gaia DR3 1279752168030730496) lies 78 arcseconds away from Izar and Pulcherrima, and its colors and absolute magnitude are consistent with a M dwarf.		Pulcherrima (Epsilon Boo B) has apparent V magnitude 4.80 and spectral type A0V in SIMBAD. According to the Washington Double Star catalog, where the binary is IDed as WDS J14450+2704 or STF 1877, the position angle of the binary has only moved by about 29 degrees between the time of Struve (1822) and recently (2024), with the separation changing negligible (2.2 to 2.4 arcseconds). The slow change in the position angle suggests that the orbital period might be of the order a few thousand years, and indeed no computed orbit appears in the ORB6 catalog of double star orbits. The system appears to be approximately 70 parsecs away. A distant third component (IDed in SIMBAD as eps Boo C or Gaia DR3 1279752168030730496) lies 78 arcseconds away from Izar and Pulcherrima, and its colors and absolute magnitude are consistent with an M dwarf.

	== Weblinks ==		== Weblinks ==

Sushoff at 15:00, 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T15:00:43Z

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	[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837 ]]		[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837 ]]
	[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]		[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]
	The name Pulcherrima comes from a description of the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.5 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016.		The name Pulcherrima comes from a description of the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.5 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016 and in 2026, ε Boo B was named Pulcherrima.

	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History==

IanRidpath at 13:24, 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T13:24:22Z

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	[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837 ]]		[[File:Struve1837 Mensurae-Micrometricae1824-1837 Pulcherrima.jpg\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Struve (1837) Mensurae Micrometricae 1824-1837 ]]
	[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]		[[File:A photo of the star Epsilon Bootis.jpg\|thumb\|photo of Epsilon Bootis (CC BY Nikolay Nikolov).]]
	The name Pulcherrima ~~was given to~~ the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.5 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016.		The name Pulcherrima comes from a description of the double star Epsilon Boötis (mags. 2.5 and 4.8) by Friedrich G. W. von Struve in 1837.<ref>Struve (1837). ''Mensurae Micrometricae'' 1824-1837. </ref> The Latin name translates to "most beautiful" or "loveliest," referring to its striking, contrasting colors — a bright yellow primary and a blue-white secondary star. The official IAU name for Epsilon Boötis A (ε Boo A) is [[Izar]], adopted in 2016.

	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History==

Ericmamajek: description of the star

2026-04-17T05:03:35Z

description of the star

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	==IAU Working Group on Star Names==		==IAU Working Group on Star Names==
	~~In the course of the WGSN~~'~~s research on historical star names,~~ the ~~name "Pulcherrima" is being considered~~ for Epsilon Boötis B (HR 5505, HD 129988, HIP 72105 B), ~~but~~ has ~~not been adopted as yet~~.		The name '''Pulcherrima''' was adopted by the IAU Working Group Star Names for Epsilon Boötis B (HR 5505, HD 129988, HIP 72105 B) on April 15, 2026. The companion star to Epsilon Boötis was unknown before its discovery by Herschel in the late 18th century, so it has no earlier cultural names, and the name Pulcherrima would recognize the descriptions of the "beautiful" double star by the famous double star observers William Herschel and Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.

	~~The companion star~~ to ~~Epsilon Boötis was unknown before its discovery by Herschel in~~ the ~~late 18th century~~, ~~so it~~ has ~~no earlier cultural names~~, ~~and~~ the ~~proposed name would recognize~~ the ~~descriptions by~~ the ~~famous~~ double star ~~observers W~~. ~~Herschel~~ and ~~F.G.W. Struve~~.		Pulcherrima (Epsilon Boo B) has apparent V magnitude 4.08 and spectral type A0V (Abt & Morrell 1995). According to the Washington Double Star catalog, where the binary is IDed as WDS J14450+2704 or STF 1877, the position angle of the binary has only moved by about 29 degrees between the time of Struve (1822) and recently (2024), with the separation changing negligible (2.2 to 2.4 arcseconds). The slow change in the position angle suggests that the orbital period might be of the order a few thousand years, and indeed no computed orbit appears in the ORB6 catalog of double star orbits. The system appears to be approximately 70 parsecs away. A distant third component (IDed in SIMBAD as eps Boo C or Gaia DR3 1279752168030730496) lies 78 arcseconds away from Izar and Pulcherrima, and its colors and absolute magnitude are consistent with a M dwarf.

	== Weblinks ==		== Weblinks ==

Sushoff at 13:55, 30 March 2026

2026-03-30T13:55:06Z

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	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History==
	[[File:Pulcherrima Smyth1844.png\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Smyth 1844]]		[[File:Pulcherrima Smyth1844.png\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Smyth 1844]]
	19th century German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, known for his study of double stars, described the star as ''duplex pulcherrima'', Latin for “the loveliest double”. Perhaps, Struve was inspired to write 'Duplex pulcherrima' based on Herschel highlighting it as his first double in 1782 'Catalog of Double Stars'<ref name=":2">Herschel (1782). 'Catalog of Double Stars'. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London , 1785, Vol. 75 (1785), pp. 40-126 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/106749.pdf JSTOR-PDF]</ref>. Herschel wrote "A very beautiful object" and Struve Latinized Herschel's English "very beautiful" with the result of "pulcherrima". Struve himself appears not to convey any personal opinion on the star's beauty in his 1827 'Catalogus Novus'.		19th century German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, known for his study of double stars, described the star as ''duplex pulcherrima'', Latin for “the loveliest double”. Perhaps, Struve was inspired to write 'Duplex pulcherrima' based on Herschel highlighting it as his first double in 1782 'Catalog of Double Stars'<ref name=":2">Herschel (1782). 'Catalog of Double Stars'. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London , 1785, Vol. 75 (1785), pp. 40-126 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/106749.pdf JSTOR-PDF]</ref>. Herschel wrote "A very beautiful object" and Struve Latinized Herschel's English "very beautiful" with the result of "pulcherrima". Struve himself appears not to convey any personal opinion on the star's beauty in his 1827 'Catalogus Novus'<ref>Struve, (1827). Catalogus novus stellarum duplicium et multiplicium. [https://books.google.de/books?id=428OmAF-61kC&q=pulcherrima&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false GoogleBooks]</ref>. There seems to be no mention of the description by Struve in Catalogus Novus (1827) [[https://books.google.com/books?id=428OmAF-61kC&q=pulcherrima#v=onepage&q=1877 star #1877], p.84; long discussion on measurements of the binary, compared to Herschel's observations]. He only mentions Herschel and South as having reported measurements for it.

	In lower case, i.e. as a description of the star, the term "pulcherrima" occurs occasionally in the 19th century, but in the capitalised form, it appeared later. Before Burnham, there are two other notable instances of mentions that Struve dubbed it with the capitalized form: mainly Allen (1899)<ref name=":0">Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899). Star Names - Their Lore and Meaning. Dover Publications, Inc., New York</ref> and Darby (1864)<ref name=":1">Darby (1864). '''The Astronomical Observer''': A Handbook To The Observatory And The Common Telescope</ref>.		In lower case, i.e. as a description of the star, the term "pulcherrima" occurs occasionally in the 19th century, but in the capitalised form, it appeared later. Before Burnham, there are two other notable instances of mentions that Struve dubbed it with the capitalized form: mainly Allen (1899)<ref name=":0">Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899). Star Names - Their Lore and Meaning. Dover Publications, Inc., New York</ref> and Darby (1864)<ref name=":1">Darby (1864). '''The Astronomical Observer''': A Handbook To The Observatory And The Common Telescope</ref>.

Sushoff at 13:48, 30 March 2026

2026-03-30T13:48:04Z

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	=== Note on the date of first appearance ===		=== Note on the date of first appearance ===
	Some books claim that Struve invented this name in 1829, but the earliest we can find is on p.49 of his ''Stellarum duplicium multiplicium mensurae micrometricae'' of 1837. There he describes it as ''duplex pulcherrima'', “the most beautiful double”. The error seems to stem from Robert Burnham's well-known 3-volume ''Celestial Handbook: An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond'' ''the Solar System'' (1978): [https://archive.org/details/burnhams-celestial-handbook-volume-3/Burnhams%20Celestial%20Handbook%2C%20Volume%201/page/n155/mode/1u archive]. He may have obtained this date from Smyth who lists an observation of the separation and position angle of the pair by Struve in 1829. The erroneous attribution of the ~~capitalized~~ name "Pulcherrima" to Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve also appears books by Darby (1864; "The Astronomical Observer") and Allen (1899; "Star-names and Their Meanings").		Some books claim that Struve invented this name in 1829, but the earliest we can find is on p. 49 of his ''Stellarum duplicium multiplicium mensurae micrometricae'' of 1837. There he describes it as ''duplex pulcherrima'', “the most beautiful double”. The error seems to stem from Robert Burnham's well-known 3-volume ''Celestial Handbook: An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond'' ''the Solar System'' (1978): [https://archive.org/details/burnhams-celestial-handbook-volume-3/Burnhams%20Celestial%20Handbook%2C%20Volume%201/page/n155/mode/1u archive]. He may have obtained this date from Smyth who lists an observation of the separation and position angle of the pair by Struve in 1829. The erroneous attribution of the capitalised name "Pulcherrima" to Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve also appears books by Darby (1864; "The Astronomical Observer") and Allen (1899; "Star-names and Their Meanings").
	[[File:Herschel epsBoo double.png\|thumb\|Herschel, W. (1779). Catalogue of Double Stars, p 60]]		[[File:Herschel epsBoo double.png\|thumb\|Herschel, W. (1779). Catalogue of Double Stars, p 60]]

Sushoff: /* Upper Case */

2026-03-30T13:41:11Z

Upper Case

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	This book (Essays on astronomy) is likely to have been strongly influential.		This book (Essays on astronomy) is likely to have been strongly influential.
	* Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)		* Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)
	* Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star ~~\epsilon~~ Bootis."</blockquote>		* Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star ε Bootis."</blockquote>

	* Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."		* Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."

Sushoff: /* Upper Case */

2026-03-30T13:35:14Z

Upper Case

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	* Mary Proctor "A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan '''1896:''' <blockquote>"Epsilon Bootes, known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth''' on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.		* Mary Proctor "A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan '''1896:''' <blockquote>"Epsilon Bootes, known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth''' on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.

	* Richard Proctor ('''1872''') ~~<blockquote>~~"and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."~~</blockquote>~~		* Richard Proctor ('''1872''') "and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."
			This book (Essays on astronomy) is likely to have been strongly influential.
	* Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)		* Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)
	* Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>		* Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>

Sushoff at 13:30, 30 March 2026

2026-03-30T13:30:49Z

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	==== Lower Case ====		==== Lower Case ====
	~~Struve (1837): "Duplex pulcherrima."~~

	Smyth (1844): "which Σ [Struve] calls "pulcherrima",..."		* Struve (1837): "Duplex pulcherrima."
			* Smyth (1844): "which Σ [Struve] calls "pulcherrima",..."
			* Smyth (1860): "This beautiful star, the pulcherrima of Struve,..."
			* Chambers (1881) revised version of Smyth ("This loverly object, which [Struve] calls "pulcherrima," is...")
			* Higgins (1882): "Also Stellar pulcherrima = Very beautiful star."
			* Clark & Sadler (1886): "Duplex pulcherrima"

	~~Smyth (1860): "This beautiful star, the pulcherrima of Struve,..."~~		==== Upper Case ====

	~~Chambers (1881) revised version of Smyth ("This loverly object, which [Struve] calls "pulcherrima," is...")~~

	~~Higgins (1882): "Also Stellar pulcherrima~~ = ~~Very beautiful star."~~

	~~Clark & Sadler~~ (~~1886~~): "~~Duplex pulcherrima~~"		* Darby ('''1864''')<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>"This beautiful star is the '''Pulcherrima of Professor Struve'''..." </blockquote>see this assertion with the capitalized name repeated by Allen and Burnham. So far, this ''is the earliest instance'' ''we can find of the capitalization of the name.''

	~~==== Upper Case ====~~		* Proctor ('''1866''') for name "Pulcherissima" states <blockquote>"A name given by modern astronomers to express the extreme beauty of this double star (orange and green), viewed with a good telescope." </blockquote>However the spelling "Pulcherrima" appeared much more often after mid-19th century. Admiral Smyth (1844)<ref>William Henry SMYTH (1844). A Cycle of Celestial Objects, for the use of naval, military and private astronomers, Volume 2, p 325</ref> cites Struve as the source of the name.
	~~Darby~~ ('''~~1864~~''')~~<ref~~ name=":1" /> <blockquote>"~~This beautiful star is~~ the ~~'''Pulcherrima~~ of ~~Professor Struve'''..~~." </blockquote>~~see this assertion with~~ the ~~capitalized name repeated by Allen and Burnham~~. ~~So far~~, ~~this ''is~~ the ~~earliest instance'' ''we can find~~ of the ~~capitalization~~ of the name.''

	Proctor ('''~~1866~~'''~~) for name "Pulcherissima" states~~ <blockquote>"~~A name given~~ by ~~modern astronomers to express the~~ extreme beauty ~~of this double star (orange and green), viewed with a good telescope.~~" </blockquote>~~However the spelling "Pulcherrima" appeared much more often after mid-19th century. Admiral~~ Smyth ~~(1844)<ref>William Henry SMYTH (1844)~~. ~~A Cycle of Celestial Objects, for the use of naval, military and private astronomers, Volume 2, p 325</ref> cites Struve as the source of the name.~~		* Mary Proctor "A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan '''1896:''' <blockquote>"Epsilon Bootes, known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth''' on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.

	~~Mary~~ Proctor ~~"A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan~~ '''~~1896:~~''' <blockquote>"~~Epsilon Bootes~~, ~~known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth'''~~ on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>~~We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.~~		* Richard Proctor ('''1872''') <blockquote>"and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."</blockquote>

	~~Richard Proctor ('''1872''') <blockquote>"and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."</blockquote>~~Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)		* Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)
			* Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>

	~~Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>~~Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."		* Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."

	Allen ('''1899'''):<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>"Why it was so favored in nomenclature is not known, for with us it is noticeable only from its exquisite beauty in the telescope, whence it is fast monopolizing the name '''Pulcherrima, given to it by the elder Struve.'''" </blockquote>[note this is most likely the source of Burnham's statement]		* Allen ('''1899'''):<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>"Why it was so favored in nomenclature is not known, for with us it is noticeable only from its exquisite beauty in the telescope, whence it is fast monopolizing the name '''Pulcherrima, given to it by the elder Struve.'''" </blockquote>[note this is most likely the source of Burnham's statement]

	The Norton Atlases (Norton 1910 (1st ed.), Norton 1964 (15th ed.), Ridpath 1989 (Norton 18th ed.), Ridpath 2003 (Norton 20th ed.)		The Norton Atlases (Norton 1910 (1st ed.), Norton 1964 (15th ed.), Ridpath 1989 (Norton 18th ed.), Ridpath 2003 (Norton 20th ed.)

	Becvar (1951, 1964), BSC (4th ed, 5th ed.), Kerhousse (1995), Kostjuk (2002), Kunitzsch & Smart (2006)		* Becvar (1951, 1964), BSC (4th ed, 5th ed.), Kerhousse (1995), Kostjuk (2002), Kunitzsch & Smart (2006)

	Burnham (1978) <blockquote>"The star was discovered by '''F.G.W.Struve in 1829, who honored it with the poetic title "Pulcherrima"''' in appreciation of the fine color contrast" </blockquote>We have seen no evidence that Struve capitalized it. Ironically Herschel (1872)<ref name=":2" /> stated: "A very beautiful object"!		* Burnham (1978)<blockquote>"The star was discovered by '''F.G.W.Struve in 1829, who honored it with the poetic title "Pulcherrima"''' in appreciation of the fine color contrast" </blockquote>We have seen no evidence that Struve capitalized it. Ironically Herschel (1872)<ref name=":2" /> stated: "A very beautiful object"!

	=== Note on the date of first appearance ===		=== Note on the date of first appearance ===

Sushoff: /* Note on the date of first appearance */

2026-03-30T13:24:16Z

Note on the date of first appearance

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	==Concordance, Etymology, History==		==Concordance, Etymology, History==
	[[File:Pulcherrima Smyth1844.png\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Smyth 1844]]		[[File:Pulcherrima Smyth1844.png\|thumb\|Pulcherrima in Smyth 1844]]
	19th century German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, known for his study of double stars, described the star as ''duplex pulcherrima'', Latin for “the loveliest double”. Perhaps, Struve was inspired to write 'Duplex pulcherrima' based on Herschel highlighting it as his first double in 1782 'Catalog of Double Stars'. Herschel wrote "A very beautiful object" and Struve Latinized Herschel's English "very beautiful" with the result of "pulcherrima". Struve himself appears not to convey any personal opinion on the star's beauty in his 1827 'Catalogus Novus'.		19th century German-Russian astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve, known for his study of double stars, described the star as ''duplex pulcherrima'', Latin for “the loveliest double”. Perhaps, Struve was inspired to write 'Duplex pulcherrima' based on Herschel highlighting it as his first double in 1782 'Catalog of Double Stars'<ref name=":2">Herschel (1782). 'Catalog of Double Stars'. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London , 1785, Vol. 75 (1785), pp. 40-126 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/106749.pdf JSTOR-PDF]</ref>. Herschel wrote "A very beautiful object" and Struve Latinized Herschel's English "very beautiful" with the result of "pulcherrima". Struve himself appears not to convey any personal opinion on the star's beauty in his 1827 'Catalogus Novus'.

	In lower case, i.e. as a description of the star, the term "pulcherrima" occurs occasionally in the 19th century, but in the capitalised form, it appeared later. Before Burnham, there are two other notable instances of mentions that Struve dubbed it with the capitalized form: mainly Allen (1899)<ref name=":0">Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899). Star Names - Their Lore and Meaning. Dover Publications, Inc., New York</ref> and Darby (1864)<ref name=":1">Darby (1864). '''The Astronomical Observer''': A Handbook To The Observatory And The Common Telescope</ref>.		In lower case, i.e. as a description of the star, the term "pulcherrima" occurs occasionally in the 19th century, but in the capitalised form, it appeared later. Before Burnham, there are two other notable instances of mentions that Struve dubbed it with the capitalized form: mainly Allen (1899)<ref name=":0">Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899). Star Names - Their Lore and Meaning. Dover Publications, Inc., New York</ref> and Darby (1864)<ref name=":1">Darby (1864). '''The Astronomical Observer''': A Handbook To The Observatory And The Common Telescope</ref>.
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	Darby ('''1864''')<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>"This beautiful star is the '''Pulcherrima of Professor Struve'''..." </blockquote>see this assertion with the capitalized name repeated by Allen and Burnham. So far, this ''is the earliest instance'' ''we can find of the capitalization of the name.''		Darby ('''1864''')<ref name=":1" /> <blockquote>"This beautiful star is the '''Pulcherrima of Professor Struve'''..." </blockquote>see this assertion with the capitalized name repeated by Allen and Burnham. So far, this ''is the earliest instance'' ''we can find of the capitalization of the name.''

	Proctor ('''1866''') for name "Pulcherissima" states <blockquote>"A name given by modern astronomers to express the extreme beauty of this double star (orange and green), viewed with a good telescope." </blockquote>However the spelling "Pulcherrima" appeared much more often after mid-19th century. Admiral Smyth (1844)<ref>William Henry SMYTH (1844). A Cycle of Celestial Objects, for the use of naval, military and private astronomers, Volume 2, p 325</ref> cites Struve as the source of the name.		Proctor ('''1866''') for name "Pulcherissima" states <blockquote>"A name given by modern astronomers to express the extreme beauty of this double star (orange and green), viewed with a good telescope." </blockquote>However the spelling "Pulcherrima" appeared much more often after mid-19th century. Admiral Smyth (1844)<ref>William Henry SMYTH (1844). A Cycle of Celestial Objects, for the use of naval, military and private astronomers, Volume 2, p 325</ref> cites Struve as the source of the name.

	Mary Proctor "A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan '''1896:''' <blockquote>"Epsilon Bootes, known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth''' on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.		Mary Proctor "A Romance of the Stars" in the Chautauquan '''1896:''' <blockquote>"Epsilon Bootes, known also as Mirac, and '''called Pulcherrima by Admiral Smyth''' on account of its extreme beauty" </blockquote>We can find no instance of Smyth capitalizing it.

	Richard Proctor ('''1872''') <blockquote>"and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."</blockquote>Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)		Richard Proctor ('''1872''') <blockquote>"and, on account of its extreme beauty, Pulcherrima."</blockquote>Flammarion "Sideral Astronomy: Double Stars- Far-off Worlds" in Dobeck (1878), Flammarion (1882)

	Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."		Gore ('''1893''') <blockquote>"Pulcherrima. A name sometimes applied to the beautiful double star \epsilon Bootis."</blockquote>Richard Proctor ('''1895''') "A New Star Atlas for..."
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	Becvar (1951, 1964), BSC (4th ed, 5th ed.), Kerhousse (1995), Kostjuk (2002), Kunitzsch & Smart (2006)		Becvar (1951, 1964), BSC (4th ed, 5th ed.), Kerhousse (1995), Kostjuk (2002), Kunitzsch & Smart (2006)

	Burnham (1978) "The star was discovered by '''F.G.W.Struve in 1829, who honored it with the poetic title "Pulcherrima"''' in appreciation of the fine color contrast" ~~[as Rob stated, I've~~ seen no evidence that Struve capitalized it~~; ironically Herschel stated in~~ Herschel (~~1782 'Catalog of Double Stars'~~): "A very beautiful object"!]		Burnham (1978) <blockquote>"The star was discovered by '''F.G.W.Struve in 1829, who honored it with the poetic title "Pulcherrima"''' in appreciation of the fine color contrast" </blockquote>We have seen no evidence that Struve capitalized it. Ironically Herschel (1872)<ref name=":2" /> stated: "A very beautiful object"!

	=== Note on the date of first appearance ===		=== Note on the date of first appearance ===