Ashlesha (आश्लेषः)

Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann

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The 9th Nakshatra, Ashelesha nakshatra in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).

The 9th Nakshatra, Ashlesha, consists of five stars and is identified with the head of Hydra (WGSN 2025).

Āśleṣā (आश्लेषा), "The Embrace", is the Sanskrit name for an asterism in Hydra, the head of the Watersnake (δ, ε , η, ρ, and σ Hydrae). It is considered the ninth of the traditional Nakṣatras (lunar stations) in the Vedic culture that predates Hinduism but was taken over by it.

Ashlesha is also a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Indian. It is the name of HIP 43109 (ε Hya, HR 3482) in the constellation Hya.

Etymology and History

Name Variants:

• Āshleshā,
• Ashlesha,
• Ahya,
• Phanibha,
• Sarpa

Origin

Identification

Normally, five stars are drawn and they are identified with the stars in Hydra; δ, ε , η, ρ, and σ Hydrae. The Yogatara (the main star) of the Vedic nakshatra is ε Hya. It was historically considered representative for the nakshatra and, thus, named after it by the IAU WGSN.

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	ζ Hydrae	HIP 43813	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.1
2	Ashlesha	HIP 43109	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.38
3	δ Hydrae	HIP 42313	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.131
4	η Hydrae	HIP 42799	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.3
5	ρ Hydrae	HIP 43234	Constellation lines	4.337
6	Minchir	HIP 42402	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.43
7	10 Hya	HIP 42931	Inside the hull	6.127
8	71 G. Hya	HIP 43570	Inside the hull	6.35
9	50 G. Hya	HIP 42854	Inside the hull	6.362
10	54 G. Hya	HIP 42981	Inside the hull	6.43

Transfer and Transformation

• 
  Ashlesha nakshatra in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
• 
  Ashlesha in Tibetian
• 
  Ashlesha in Chinese
• 
  Bali naga "Ashlesha"
• 
  Ashlesha as reconstructed by Jones (1720, WGSN 2025).
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  All nakshatra in door frame in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
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  All nakshatras in silver arch Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).

Naga ashlesha bali pooja

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2018/06/01.

Weblinks

• Website of the IAU WGSN: https://exopla.net/

Reference

• References (general)
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