Arkab Prior

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

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Arkab Prior (عرقوب الرامي) 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 95241 (β¹ Sgr, HR 7337) in constellation Sgr.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of its sci-A name 'urqub al-rami, "the Archer's Achilles Tendon".

Roland Laffitte (2025):

Figurant sur l’astrolabe, ce nom fut introduit au Moyen Âge comme transcription de cUrqūb al-Rāmī, « le Talon du Sagittaire » dans le ciel gréco-arabe. Revivifié sous une forme raccourcie au début du XIXe siècle, ce nom est aujourd’hui approuvé par l’UAI pour ces deux étoiles . Ar. : ^cUrqūb al-Rāmī, al-Ṣūfī, lat. orcob arrami, Yeḥūda b. Mošè, arthob arami, Tabl. Tolédanes. Plus tard ^cUrqūb al-Rāmī, Uluġ Bēg > lat. ‘Urkûb AlRâmi’, Hyde, et ‘Urkab er-Râmih’, Lach > Arkab er râmih, Bode ; Urkub, Piazzi, Arkab et Urkub, Allen, Arkab, Rumrill. Fr. Urkub, Coulier, Arcob, Benhamouda, Arkab, IGN. Arkab Prior et Posterior, Rhoads, etc., Simbad, UAI.

English:

This name, which appears on the astrolabe, was introduced in the Middle Ages as a transcription of cUrqūb al-Rāmī, “the Heel of Sagittarius,” in the Greco-Arabic sky. Revived in a shortened form in the early 19th century, this name is now approved by the IAU for these two stars. Ar.: cUrqūb al-Rāmī, al-Ṣūfī, Lat. orcob arrami, Yeḥūda b. Mošè, arthob arami, Tabl. Tolédanes. Later cUrqūb al-Rāmī, Uluġ Bēg > Lat. ‘Urkûb AlRâmi’, Hyde, and ‘Urkab er-Râmih’, Lach > Arkab er râmih, Bode; Urkub, Piazzi, Arkab and Urkub, Allen, Arkab, Rumrill. Fr. Urkub, Coulier, Arcob, Benhamouda, Arkab, IGN. Arkab Prior and Posterior, Rhoads, etc., Simbad, UAI.

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/10/05.

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.