Stephanos
Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann
Stephanos, the Wreath, is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Ancient Greek. It is the name of the star π CrB in constellation Corona Borealis.
Concordance, Etymology, History
Στέφανος, (stephanos), The Wreath, is the ancient Greek name of Corona Borealis CrB. It can represent either the laurel wreath of an emperor or victorious athlete, or the bridal wreath.
Mythology
Ariadne, daughter of Minos and princess of Crete, is best known as the woman who helped Theseus escape the Labyrinth by giving him a thread to retrace his path after killing the Minotaur. After fleeing with Theseus, she was abandoned on the island of Naxos. There she was discovered by Dionysus, who made her his bride. In many traditions, Ariadne is regarded as Dionysus’s first and most important mortal wife. Their marriage symbolises the transformation of a deserted princess into an immortal queen.
Dionysus placed her jewelled crown among the stars as the constellation Corona Borealis, and Ariadne was granted immortality to dwell with him among the gods. Her tiara is sometimes also considered the first bridal wreath.
IAU Working Group on Star Names
The name was discussed and adopted to the IAU-CSN by the IAU WGSN in 2026.
π CrB is an evolved giant star located approximately 243 light-years away. It is a G-type star of similar size to the Sun, but already in its helium burning phase.
