Yaqana

Authors: Youla Azkarrula, Susanne M Hoffmann, Steven R. Gullberg

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Yaqana, the She-Llama. The image depicts another llama, the mother-llama, breast-feeding her baby ("5") is no.4; Milky Way with Inka Dark Constellations (CC BY Jessica and Steven R. Gullberg).

Llama and baby llama at Wiñaywayna (CC BY Bex Walton)

Yaqana, The Llama, is an Inka dark constellation. Yaqana is a mother llama and forms a super-constellation with Uñallamacha, the baby llama. As a constellation, he is represented in the area between Centaurus and Scorpius. As an Inka constellation, it has been used in South America.

Since 2026, Yacana is also a modern star name for the star ε Normae.

Provenance, Etymology, History

Spelling Variants

• Yaqana (Qechua spelling)
• Qatachillay (Qechua name variant)
• Yacana (Spanish spelling)

Origin of Constellation

Llamas figure prominently in many aspects of Inka culture and this celestial figure was thought to animate the llamas on the Earth. Yaqana is a constellation much larger than Hanpatu or Yutu and dominates the Inkas’ dark constellation section of the Milky Way. Yaqana is situated between Centaurus and Scorpius. The prominent stars α and β Centauri serve as the llama’s eyes and as such are known as Llamacñawin, the “eyes of the llama.” Below Yaqana is a smaller dark constellation called Uñallamacha that is said to be a cria, a baby llama, suckling its mother.

These constellations are two of the dark constellations. According to oral traditions in the Qosqo area, Yaqana’s eyes (llamaqñawin) were Alpha and Beta Centauri, and Yaqana (a llama) with a long neck is swimming in a river of stars. It is easy to look the sky and see the constellation and also see the baby llama that breastfeeding.

This celestial figure was thought to animate llamas on the Earth and has strong significance in Inka culture.

Identifications

Depending on the season and context, the term "Yaqana" is identified with a dark cloud in the Milky Way.

Sources, Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Here we give a list of all sources where the name is attested.

Source		Identification
Llamacñawin	“eyes of the llama.”	α and β Centauri
		...
		...

Image Variants: Transfer and Transformation

• 
  ancient manuscript 1
• 
  Steve's mapping
• 
  Jessica's painting ... something else ...

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

All HIP Stars within this constellation

Convex Hull for the stars inside Mother llama (CC BY Youla Azkarrula).

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	Rigil Kentaurus	HIP 71683		0.01
2	Hadar	HIP 68702		0.58
3	Toliman	HIP 71681		1.33
4	Lesath	HIP 85696		2.65
5	Xamidimura	HIP 82514		2.98
6	Xami	HIP 71908		3.19
7		HIP 84143		3.33
8		HIP 74395		3.41
9	Pipirima	HIP 82545		3.54
10		HIP 74376		3.7
11		HIP 70069		4.35
12		HIP 80582		4.52
13		HIP 76829		4.63
14		HIP 78639		4.64
15		HIP 76371 A		4.71
16		HIP 78914		4.71
17		HIP 82671		4.79
18		HIP 78655		4.89
19		HIP 81122		4.94
20		HIP 78323		4.98
21		HIP 74911		4.99
22		HIP 75206		5
23		HIP 69618		5.07
24		HIP 79790		5.09
25		HIP 79653		5.12
26		HIP 72290		5.22
27		HIP 82493		5.22
28		HIP 75828		5.22
29		HIP 80208		5.32
30		HIP 80782		5.37
31		HIP 80337		5.38
32		HIP 73095		5.39
33		HIP 80945		5.39
34		HIP 80390		5.42
35		HIP 76618		5.42
36		HIP 74305		5.43
37		HIP 79963		5.44
38		HIP 82676		5.45
39		HIP 82135		5.48
40		HIP 74380		5.5
41		HIP 81305		5.52
42		HIP 81972		5.63
43		HIP 84150		5.66
44		HIP 82775		5.77
45		HIP 80672		5.79
46		HIP 81472		5.83
47		HIP 77541		5.84
48		HIP 82716		5.84
49		HIP 79320		5.86
50		HIP 71184		5.87
51		HIP 81523		5.91
52		HIP 80212		5.91
53		HIP 83235		5.93
54		HIP 74696		5.96
55		HIP 83693		5.98
56		HIP 78662		4.67
57		HIP 74837		4.85
58		HIP 79509		4.94
59		HIP 74778		5.09
60		HIP 73129		5.11
61		HIP 73776		5.17
62		HIP 75323		5.22
63		HIP 79754		5.44
64		HIP 74941		5.46
65		HIP 79153		5.57
66		HIP 75308		5.65
67		HIP 81733		5.68
68		HIP 80054		5.74
69		HIP 77645		5.77
70		HIP 79497		5.77
71		HIP 74750		5.81
72		HIP 77990 A		5.87
73		HIP 79490		5.94
74		HIP 72773		5.96
75		HIP 71683		0.01
76		HIP 68702		0.58
77		HIP 71681		1.33
78		HIP 71908		3.19
79		HIP 82729		3.62
80		HIP 80000		4.02
81		HIP 74824		4.06
82		HIP 70264		4.94
83		HIP 73036		5.18
84		HIP 70035		5.23
85		HIP 72131		5.36
86		HIP 75181		5.65
87		HIP 81702		5.65
88		HIP 77562		5.78
89		HIP 83491		5.9
90		HIP 76716		5.95
91		HIP 84425		5.95
92		HIP 77678		6.01
93		HIP 76935		6.01
94		HIP 77454		6.05
95		HIP 75742		6.09
96		HIP 77574		6.12
97		HIP 76809		6.21
98		HIP 72308		6.07
99		HIP 72121		6.09
100		HIP 72471		6.21
101		HIP 71746		6.3
102		HIP 69122		6.34
103		HIP 73966		6.39
104		HIP 81904		6.05
105		HIP 83100		6.05
106		HIP 82650		6.06
107		HIP 82691		6.09
108		HIP 80066		6.1
109		HIP 81914		6.12
110		HIP 80579		6.13
111		HIP 79661		6.14
112		HIP 83650		6.18
113		HIP 81903		6.2
114		HIP 82453		6.22
115		HIP 82911		6.22
116		HIP 78445		6.22
117		HIP 81847		6.27
118		HIP 82783		6.27
119		HIP 84151		6.28
120		HIP 82554		6.32
121		HIP 80421		6.33
122		HIP 82669		6.38
123		HIP 78540		6.39
124		Gaia DR3 5966509748041919616		6.42
125		HIP 81198		6.44
126		HIP 84332		6.44
127		HIP 82091		6.47
128		HIP 78367		6.49
129		HIP 83202		6.49
130		HIP 80142		6.5
131		HIP 78469		6.12
132		HIP 78989		6.16
133		HIP 78710		6.38
134		HIP 78355		6.09
135		HIP 79812		6.33
136		HIP 78731		6.47
137		HIP 72965		6.09
138		HIP 72097		6.1
139		HIP 74047		6.17
140		HIP 77058		6.2
141		HIP 71861		6.2
142		HIP 74181		6.25
143		HIP 74470		6.27
144		HIP 71333		6.38
145		HIP 73118		6.39
146		HIP 72000		6.41
147		HIP 68413		6.47
148		HIP 70798		6.47
149		HIP 77042		6.47
150		HIP 74273		6.28
151		HIP 81650		6.29
152		HIP 78117		6.3
153		HIP 79787		6.41

References

• References (general)