Menkent

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann

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Menkent 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 68933 (θ Cen, HR 5288) in constellation Cen.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times and possibly coined from the Arabic word mankib, "shoulder" (in some recent transliterations: menkib; Ptolemy described this star on the right "shoulder" of the Centaur), plus the Latinized "Kentaurus" for the sci-A constellation name qanturis. Hence this name could be of similar construction to the abbreviation for α Cen: "Rigil Kent".

IAU Working Group on Star Names

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

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.