Zubenelgenubi

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

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Zubenelgenubi 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 72622 (α² Lib, HR 5531) in constellation Lib.

Etymology and History

Applied in Renaissance times from its sci-A name al-zubana al-janubi, the Southern Claw (of the Scorpion)". The stars of Libra were interpreted by the Baby!onians as "the Claws of Scorpius" (thus forming a much larger Scorpion), and alternatively (perhaps in a more recent stage) they were made an independent constellation, "the Balance". Both these concepts lived on until the Greeks and, partly, the ind-Arabs. Previous to Greek influences, the ind-Arabs used the name al-zubanayan, "the Two Claws (of the Scorpion}", for the lunar mansion marked by α and β Lib. (Ind-A al-zubanayan is obviously related etymologically to Babylonian zibanutu, but the latter, also marked by α and β Lib, meant "the Balance"). Our modern name is occasionally seen abbreviated as Zuben'ubi.

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.