Imai

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula

---

Imai is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is African/ Mursi. It is the name of HIP 59747 (δ Cru, HR 4656) in constellation Cru.

Etymology and History

The Mursi name a line of four stars imai (δ Cru), thaadoi (β Cru), waar (β Cen) and sholbi (α Cen). Their successive disappearance (heliacal setting) are used to determine when the River Omo will flood (it does this several times) and hence to determine when to plant the annual crop of cowpeas beside it (after the last flood but before the ground dries out). Imai is the Mursi name for the grass that grows along the banks of the river (Rhynchelytrum repens). It is said that when the imai star disappears, the Omo rises high enough to flatten the imai grass.

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2018/08/10.

Weblinks

• Website of the IAU WGSN: https://exopla.net/

Reference

• References (general)
• Turton and Ruggles (1978), "Agreeing to Disagree: the measurement of duration in a south-western Ethiopian community", Current Anthropology, 19 (1978), 585-600.