Nekhet: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Egypt Nekhet stellarium-RSC.jpg|thumb|Egyptian constellation Nekhet, The Giant, identified with Ramesside Star Clocks, mapped to Stellarium (CC BY Petrie 1940, SMH 2026). For this screenshot the time and date settings are Alexandria -1180. ]] | [[File:Egypt Nekhet stellarium-RSC.jpg|thumb|Egyptian constellation Nekhet, The Giant, identified with Ramesside Star Clocks, mapped to Stellarium (CC BY Petrie 1940, SMH 2026). For this screenshot the time and date settings are Alexandria -1180. ]] | ||
Nekhet, ''nḫt'', The Giant, is an Egyptian constellation, preserved in the 2nd millennium BCE. Based on Ramesside Star Clocks,<ref>Neugebauer, O. and Parker, R. A., 1969. ''Egyptian Astronomical Texts'', vol. III. Providence: Brown University.</ref><ref>Leitz, Ch., 1995. Altägyptische Sternuhren. OLA, 62. Leuven: Peeters.</ref> it is known that it covers 5 RA-hours.<ref>Petrie W.M.F. (1940). Wisdom of the Egyptians. London.</ref> | Nekhet, ''nḫt'', The Giant, is an Egyptian constellation, preserved in the 2nd millennium BCE. Based on Ramesside Star Clocks,<ref>Neugebauer, O. and Parker, R. A., 1969. ''Egyptian Astronomical Texts'', vol. III. Providence: Brown University.</ref><ref>Leitz, Ch., 1995. Altägyptische Sternuhren. OLA, 62. Leuven: Peeters.</ref> it is known that it covers 5 RA-hours.<ref name=":1">Petrie W.M.F. (1940). Wisdom of the Egyptians. London.</ref> | ||
[[File:Peg2Aql-2hi Zodiaque de Dendéra - Musée du Louvre Antiquités Egyptiennes D 38 ; E 13482.gif|thumb|Detail from the circular zodiac of Dendera between the Pegasus Square ("Peg") and a Duck depicted in Aquila ("Aql") with some figures drawn, including an animal cadava resembling the Mesopotamian constellation of The Corpse, instead of one big Giant, this image is not clearly traditionally Egyptian (photo: Musée du Louvre, GIF SMH).]] | |||
==Concordance, Etymology, History== | |||
'''Variants''' | '''Variants''' | ||
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|Area of [[Andromeda]] | |Area of [[Andromeda]] | ||
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[[File:Fig 4 45 Petrie1940 sky.jpg|thumb|Star map of the Egyptian Sky for the Ramesside Star Clocks. Petrie W.M.F. (1940)<ref name=":1" />. Wisdom of the Egyptians. London, fig. 4.45.]] | |||
=== Identification(s) === | === Identification(s) === | ||
Latest revision as of 05:25, 7 March 2026
Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Juan Antonio Belmonte Avilés
Nekhet, nḫt, The Giant, is an Egyptian constellation, preserved in the 2nd millennium BCE. Based on Ramesside Star Clocks,[1][2] it is known that it covers 5 RA-hours.[3]
Concordance, Etymology, History
Variants
- nḫt
- Nekhet
- Nekht
Sources
Ramesside Star Clocks (RSC) are ceiling paintings in some tombs in the Valley of Kings, Egypt, from the Ramesside Period.[5] They are not actually used star clocks but information on stars in transit (probably through the meridian) provided in tabular layout.
There are 16 stars related to Nekht named in the Ramesside Star Clocks (RSC)[4].
| Star / Asterism Name
(transliteration) |
Translation | RA (degr) | RA (h) | ident. (Belmonte 2003) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predeccesor of the giant’s 2 feathers | 260 | 17.3 | Altair (17.1) | |
| The 2 feathers of the giant | 273 | 18.4 | Sualocin -alf Del- (18.1) | |
| Head of mace (or Crown) of giant | Sadalsuud (18.5) | |||
| Mace (or Crown) of the giant | Area of Aquarius ? | |||
| Head of the giant | Area of Equuleus | |||
| Nape of his neck | 280 | 18.7 | Enif -alf Peg- (18.8) | |
| Neck of the giant | 280 | 18.7 | Enif -alf Peg- (18.8) | |
| His breast | 290 | 19.3 | tet Peg (19.2) or iot Peg (19.5) | |
| Hip of the giant | 300 | 20.0 | Markab -alf Peg- (20.2) | |
| His shank | 304 | 20.2 | Scheat -bet Peg- (20.3) | |
| Knee of the giant | 309 | 20.6 | Area of the Square of Pegasus | |
| His foot | 317 | 21.1 | alf And (21.3) | |
| Pedestal | 317 | 21.1 | alf And & gam Peg (21.3) | |
| The one coming after his pedestal | 327 | 21.8 | del And (21.8) | |
| star of the back of the pedestal | Area of Andromeda |
Identification(s)
- "From Aquila to the Pegasus Square. Including his Feathers, Mace (or Crown) and Pedestal" (Belmonte 2003)[4]
- "From Aquila to the Square of Pegasus" (Belmonte & Lull 2023)[6]
- Petrie's drawing also extends across this area
- The circular zodiac in Dendera the image is drawn above the "Duck" in Aquila. An accurate identification is not possible but it matches the suggestions above.
Mythology
IAU Working Group on Star Names
The name "Nekhet" suggested to be considered by the IAU WGSN in 2023. Nekht extends for five hours of RA (from the RSCs) and it does not make justice to call a single petty star with the name of such a huge constellation. Therefore, if WGSN wants to call a star either in Sagitta or Aquila with the name of Nekht, then the suggestion would be to call it: Sebannekhet (Seba en Nekhet), meaning "Star of the Giant", i.e. this is a star of Nekht but without further details.
The WGSN chose ... (not to apply/ to apply the name to a neighbouring star/ to ...) in the IAU-CSN.
Weblinks
Reference
- References (general)
- References (early modern)
- Ian Ridpath's website (Star Tales )
- ↑ Neugebauer, O. and Parker, R. A., 1969. Egyptian Astronomical Texts, vol. III. Providence: Brown University.
- ↑ Leitz, Ch., 1995. Altägyptische Sternuhren. OLA, 62. Leuven: Peeters.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Petrie W.M.F. (1940). Wisdom of the Egyptians. London.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Belmonte, J. A., 2003. The Ramesside star clocks and the ancient Egyptian constellations. In M. Blomberg, P. E. Blomberg and G. Henriksson (Eds.), Calendars, Symbols, and Orientations: Legacies of Astronomy in Culture (pp. 57–65). Uppsala Astronomical Observatory report, 59. Uppsala Ocarina Books.
- ↑ Marshall Clagett (1989). Ancient Egyptian Science: Calendars, clocks, and astronomy. American Philosophical Society.
- ↑ Belmonte, J.A. andd Lull, J., 2023. Astronomy in ancient Egypt: a cultural perspective. Cham: Springer.
