Maghā (मघा)

Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula

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Magha, 10th nakshatra, in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).

मघा (Magha)

Asterism Info
Native	मघा
Romanisation	Magha
Translation	Maghā
Position (2000)
Right ascension	151.833135 to 154.9931436
Declination	11.96720878 to 23.41731699
Area	14.89 sq. deg.
Stars
Bright stars	6
Bayer/Flamsteed stars	5
Stars brighter than 3.00m	3
Brightest star	Regulus (1.4m)
Taxonomy
category of asterism	constellation
IAU- constellations	Leo

Nakshatras 10, 11 and 12 in the constellation Leo, as animated GIF to show where the historical images were placed (WGSN 2025). Magha is the right one.

Maghā (मघा), "The Bountiful", is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it.

Etymology and History

Name Variants

• Magha
• Paitra

File:Magha Puja.jpg

Magha Puja

Origin of Constellation

5 stars: Regulus (α Leo), γ, η, 31,ο and ρ Leonis

The bright star, Regulus, is securely identified across all historical sources; it is the main star (yogatara).

The nakshatra-asterism surrounding it consists of five fainter stars: γ, η, ο, 31 and ρ Leonis.

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	Regulus	HIP 49669	Constellation lines (Vertex)	1.4
2	Algieba	HIP 50583	Constellation lines (Vertex)	1.98
3	γ 1 Leonis	HIP 50583	Constellation lines	2.37
4	Adhafera	HIP 50335	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.41
5	η Leonis	HIP 49583	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.41
6	-	HIP 50174	Inside the hull	6.02

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 
  Magha ,10th century CE.
• 
  Display of all 28th nakshatras in silver arch with candles in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
• 
  Display of all 28th nakshatras in a door frame in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Magha,Tibetean
• Error creating thumbnail:
  Magha, Chinese
• Magha Puja
  Magha Puja
• 
  Magha - reconstructed by Jones (1720).

Mythology

mnemonic tales and cultural significance

References

• References (general)