Mirzam

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann, IanRidpath

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Mirzam 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 30324 (β CMa, HR 2294) in constellation CMa.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from its Arabic name al-mirzam. R. H. Allen said the name meant ‘the announcer’, while the Arabic star lore expert Danielle Adams translates it as ‘bringer-forth’. According to the Arabic astronomer al-Ṣūfī the Arabs applied the name mirzam to any star that preceded a bright star. Hence it was also applied to β CMi, which precedes Procyon, and γ Ori, which precedes Betelgeuse, but it is the attribution to Beta Canis Majoris that has stuck.

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/07/20.

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.