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Several "Astronomically Correct" Procedures Exist for Naming Stars
Several Methods Exist for Naming Stars
- Proper Name
- Bayer System
- Flamsteed System
- Star Catalog Designations
- Position on Sky
- Variable Stars
Examples
- Proper, Bayer and Flamsteed Examples
- Star Catalog Examples
- Variable Star Examples
Methods Described
- Proper Names
Most Bright Looking Stars Have "Names"
- Brightest few hundred appearing stars have proper or common names
- Original spellings and pronunciations now often unknown
- Meanings sometimes lost
- Origin
- Many Arabic (e.g., Aldebaran, Vega, Rigel)
- Others Greek or Latin (e.g., Sirius, Capella, Regulus)
- Some modern (e.g., Polaris, Acrux, Gacrux)
- Reference (if want to know more)
Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, 1963, Richard H. Allen (Dover Publication)
(Book now dated but makes for interesting reading)
- Examples
- Antares — Rival of Mars (often in Scorpius)
- Betelgeuse — Armpit of the "Central One" (Orion)
- Denebola — Lion's Tail (Leo)
- Polaris — Pole Star (a modern designation)
- Rigel — The Left Leg (of Orion)
- The Bayer System
Johann Bayer (1572-1625)
- German astronomer
- Published Uranometria (1603)
- Designated about 1,300 brightest stars (48 original constellations)
Method
Greek Letter + Constellation Name (Latin)
(lower case) (genitive form)
(See Examples Below)
- The Flamsteed System
John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719)
- English astronomer
- Unauthorized publication (1712)
(by Issac Newton without Flamsteed's knowledge!)
- About 3,000 brightest stars in 54 constellations
Method
Arabic Number + Constellation Name (Latin)
(1,2 etc.) (genitive form)
(See Examples Below)
- Catalog Number
- Previous methods fail for fainter and "telescopic stars"
- Catalog numbers used instead
(Bright stars also have catalog numbers — often many)
- Naming structure includes a catalog abbreviation followed by a catalog item number
(e.g., HD190967 = star no. 190967 in the Henry Draper Catalog)
- Can usually distinguish catalog numbers from Bayer or Flamsteed designations because the constellation name is usually not present
(See Examples Below)
- Position on Sky
- If all else fails, designate objects by position on sky, i.e., by "celestial coordinates"
- Celestial coordinates analogous to latitude and longitude on Earth
(called right ascension and declination)
- Variable Stars
Some stars appear to change their apparent brightness (or magnitude). If star is discovered to be variable and does not already have a common or Bayer designation, it is given a special designation according to the following rules:
| Start with |
R ( as in R Cygni ) |
| Continue with |
S, T, . . . , Z |
| If need more |
RR, RS, RT, . . . , RZ |
| Likewise |
SS, ST, . . . , SZ, etc. to ZZ |
| Then |
AA, AB, AC, . . . , AZ (letter J is not used) |
| Next |
BB, BC, . . ., BZ, etc. to QZ
(In a given constellation, this names 334 variables) |
| If need more |
Use letter "V" followed by Arabic number starting with 335,
i.e., V335, V336, V337, etc. (as V335 Cygni, V335 Leonis, etc.) |
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(Many constellations have over a thousand known variables!) |
| Example Names |
See Below |
Recognizing variable stars by name is easy since the name begins with a
- Single capital letter (R – Z)
- Double capital letter
- Letter V + number (335 – )
Note: If a star already has a proper name, Bayer designation or Flamsteed designation, the star is not given another name using the variable star method described above. |
Example Names
- Examples of Proper, Bayer and Flamsteed Nomenclature
Proper Name Constellation Bayer Designation Flamsteed Designation
Sirius Canis Major Alpha Canis Majoris 9 Canis Majoris
Polaris Ursa Major Alpha Ursae Majoris 1 Ursae Majoris
Betelgeuse Orion Alpha Orionis 58 Orionis
Rigel Orion Beta Orionis 19 Orionis
Rigil Kentaurus Centaurus Alpha Centauri None
Algieba Leo Gamma Leonis 41 Leonis
Ruchbah Cassiopeia Delta Cassiopeiae 37 Cassiopeiae
- Example Catalog Designations
Star — Deneb in Cygnus ("The Swan")
Deneb Proper Name
Alpha Cygni Bayer
50 Cygni Flamsteed
Some Catalog Designations for Deneb
BD +44°3541 Bonner Durchmusterungen Catalog
HD 197345 Henry Draper Catalog
BS 7924 Yale Bright Star Catalog
SAO 49941 Smithsonian Astrophysical Catalog
GC 28846 Boss General Catalog
ADS 14172A Aitken Double Star Catalog
- Example Variable Star Designations
R Lyrae, R Aquarii, T Leonis, V Coronae Borialis, W Sagittarii, X Librae, RR Ursae Minoris, RS Heruculis, RW Herculis, ST Cygni, UV Ceti, AF Draconis, AO Canum Venaticorum, CL Draconis, EE Pegasi, FH Virginis, HT Pegasi, V401 Tauri, V405 Lyrae, V651 Cygni, V652 Cygni, V653 Cygni, V1046 Orionis, V1803 Cygni, V3961 Sagittarii
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