Alnair (النائر)

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Susanne M Hoffmann

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Alnair 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 109268 (α Gru, HR 8425) in constellation Gru.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of its late Arabic name al-nayyir min dhanab al-ḥūt, "the Bright One from the Fish's Tail" (where a l6th-century Arabic astronomer had extended Ptolemy's Southern Fish [Piscis Austrinus] into what is today Grus). The form Al Na'ir was taken from a wrong transliteration (Al Na'ir) of the Arabic adjective al-nayyir, "the Bright One".

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.