Burangalul
Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Eric Mamajek, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula
The name "Burangalul" is documented for the star α Muscae in the Wardaman culture, which is Indigenous to Australia.[1]
Etymology and History
"forehead band" of the "Buran" [Boomerang = Musca] ("Dark Sparklers", Cairns & Harney 2003: p.202)
Mythology
IAU Working Group on Star Names
The Wardaman name Burangalul was proposed in IAU WGSN deliberations in 2023 for α Mus, the brightest star in the constellation Musca, which had not previously had any star names adopted yet by WGSN.
α Mus (HD 109668, HR 4798, HIP 61585) is a spectral type B2IV star with apparent V magnitude 2.65 (SIMBAD) situated approximately 97 parsecs away. The star is part of a multiple system, IDed in Washington Double Star catalog as WDS J12372-6908. There is a 13th magnitude companion 13 arcseconds away that shares motion with α Mus (IDed in SIMBAD as alf Mus B, HD 109668B, or Gaia DR3 5855593385874666368), however thus far this component is not yet in WDS. Stars B, C, D, E of WDS J12372-6908 do not share motion with α Mus, and hence do not appear to be physical companions. WDS also splits α Mus itself (WDS J12372-6908A) into an Aa+Ab pair reported by Rizzuto et al. (2013), for which they report having resolved the system twice in 2010. Chini et al. (2012) reported α Mus as a SB2 spectroscopic binary, confirming that the close companion is bright enough to be detected spectroscopically as well. Rizzuto et al. reported the companion to be ~2.7 magnitudes fainter than the primary (in a broad wavelength range of ~550-800nm), and its position angle changed by roughly 25 degrees in less than a month between July and August 2010, consistent with the orbital period being roughly a year. Given the small differences in magnitudes, the companion Ab is likely a late B-type star. The α Mus system is part of the Lower Centaurus Crux subregion of the Scorpius-Centaurus association - the nearest such large association containing numerous hot, young stars (with ages of roughly 10 million years).
