Star Gazetteer

Star Name/ Pronunciation Bayer/Flamsteed Map(s) Remarks
Meaning Designation

Achernar (A)    AK-er-nar           Alpha Eridani           none            9th Br, Dia-5
                                                                                                      Dis-85, Lum-300
the end of the river                                                                           B5V

Albireo (?)        al-BIRR-ee-oh     Beta Cygni             2             Double star for binoc.
                                                                                                      Optical or phy pair?
                                                                                                      K3II/B8V

Alcor (A)         AL-cor                   80 Ursae Majoris    1         Optical double of Mizar
                                                                                                Dis-90, Lum-15, Sp Bin
                                                                                                    A5V

Aldebaran (A) al-DEB-uh-ran        Alpha Tauri             5,6         13th Br, Dia-40
                                                                                                   Dis-70, Lum-125
follower of the Pleiades                                                                K5III

Algenib (A)     al-JEE-nib               Gamma Pegasi         3              Var
                                                                                                    Dis-600, Lum-2000
                                                                                                      the side B2IV

Algol (A)         AL-gol                    Beta Persei             4,5             Ecl Bin, Dia-3
                                                                                                      Dis-100, Lum-100
                                                                                                      demon's head B8V

Alnilam (A)     al-NIH-lam               Epsilon Orionis        6
                                                                                                Dis-1600, Lum-40,000
string of pearls                                                                             B0Ia

Alnitak (A)     al-NIH-tak                 Zeta Orionis           6             Double, maybe triple
                                                                                                  Dis-1600, Lum-35,000
the belt                                                                                         O9Ib

Alpha (G)       cen-TAR-ee               Alpha Centauri     none         3rd Br, Double, Dia-
    Centauri                                                                                    1.0/0.9, Dis-4.2
                                                                                                   Lum-1.1/0.5 G2V/K0V

Alphecca (A)   al-FECK-uh             Alpha Coronae        8                 Sp Bin, Var
                                                        Borealis                                     Dis-75, Lum-45
the broken or fractured one                                                                 A0V

Alpheratz (A)   al-FEE-rats               Alpha Andromedae 3                 Sp Bin
                                                                                                        Dis-120, Lum-160
the horse's navel                                                                                 A0p

Altair (A)         al-TAIR                     Alpha Aquilae         2                 12th Br, Dia-1.5
                                                                                                            Dis-16, Lum-9
the flying eagle                                                                                       A7V

Antares (G)     an-TAIR-ees             Alpha Scorpii             9       15th Br, Dia-500, Red
                                                                                                      Dis-500, Lum-9000
the rival of Mars                                                                             MIIb

Arcturus (G)    ark-TOO-rus             Alpha Bootis             8            4th Br, Dia-25
                                                                                                        Dis-36, Lum-115
the bear guard                                                                                   K2III

Bellatrix (L)     bell-LAY-trix             Gamma Orionis         5,6
                                                                                                        Dis-500, Lum-4000
the female warrior                                                                             B2III

Beta (G)           cen-TAR-ee                Beta Centauri         none         11th Br, Dia-10
    Centauri                                                                                   Dis-450, Lum-10,000
                                                                                                          B1III

Betelgeuse (A) BETT-el-jews             Alpha Orionis         5,6     10th Br, Var, Dia-700,
                                                                                                    Dis-500, Lum-10,000
the armpit                                                                                       T-3100     M2Ia

Canopus (G)    kah-NO-pus                Alpha Carinae       none         2nd Br, Dia-30
                                                                                                       Dis-120, Lum-1500
                                                                                                        A9II

Capella (L)       kah-PELL-uh               Alpha Aurigae         4,5     6th Br, Spectrum Bin
                                                                                                        Dis-45, Lum-160
the little she-goat                                                                               G0III/G0III

Castor (G)       KASS-ter                     Alpha Geminorum     5           22nd Br, Sextuplet
                                                                                                            Dis-45, Lum-36
mortal twin, horseman                                                                           A1V

Deneb (A)       DEN-ebb                       Alpha Cygni                2           19th Br, Dia-60
                                                                                                  Dis-1600, Lum-60,000
the hen's tail                                                                                             A2Ia

Denebola (A)   de-NEB-oh-la                 Beta Leonis                7
                                                                                                            Dis-42, Lum-20
the lion's tail                                                                                             A3V

Dubhe (A)        DUE-be                   Alpha Ursae Majoris     1   Double, compan Sp Bin
                                                                                                    Dis-90, Lum-145
the back of the greater bear                                                         KOIII

Eltanin (A)       el-TAY-nin                 Gamma Draconis            1         Var
                                                                                                        Dis-110, Lum-145
the dragon's head                                                                                 K5III

Epsilon Lyrae EP-see-lon                     Epsilon Lyrae            2,8   Binoc double but
                       LYE-ree                                                                really quadruple
                                                                                                      A3V/A5V

Fomalhaut (A) FOE-mal-ought         Alpha Piscis Austrini     none     18th Br, Dia-2
                                                                                                          Dis-23, Lum-14
the mouth of the southern fish                                                             A3V

Hamal (A)         HAM-el                     Alpha Arietis               3,4
                                                                                                            Dis-75, Lum-70
the horn of the butting one                                                                     K2III

Kochab (A)       KOE-kab                 Beta Ursae Minoris         1        N Star
                                                                                                        1500 BC-300 AD
                                                                                                        Dis-110, Lum-130
the north star                                                                                       K4III

Markab (A)       MAR-kab                 Alpha Pegasi                   3
                                                                                                            Dis-110, Lum-95
anything on which one is carried, saddle                                                 A0III

Merak (A)         ME-rack                    Beta Ursae Majoris         1
                                                                                                            Dis-80, Lum-65
loins of the greater bear                                                                         A1V

Mintaka (A)       MIN-tak-uh                 Delta Orionis               6           Sp Bin, Double
                                                                                                  Dis-1500, Lum-20,000
belt or girdle                                                                                             09II

Mirfak (A)         MIRR-fak                     Alpha Persei                 4
                                                                                                        Dis-600, Lum-4000
the elbow of the Pleiades                                                                 F5Ib

Mizar (A)         MY-zar                       Zeta Ursae Majoris         1     Beautiful double,
                                                                                                        Sp Bin
                                                                                                        Dis-90, Lum-70
veil, trousers or waist cloth                                                                 A2V

Polaris (L)         pole-AIR-iss             Alpha Ursae Minoris         1 49th Br, Double,
                                                                                                       Sp Bin
                                                                                                      Dis-550, Lum-1600,
                                                                                                       Var
the polestar                                                                                     F8Ib

Pollux (G)         POLL-lux                    Beta Geminorum             5,7         17th Br, Dia-4
                                                                                                            Dis-35, Lum-35
immortal twin                                                                                             K0III

Procyon (G)     PRO-see-on            Alpha Canis Minoris     5        8th Br, Double
                                                                        Dis-11.3, Lum-6
before the dog, i.e., Sirius                                                 F5IV

Rasalhague (A) RAS-el-hay-gwee             Alpha Ophiuchi           8
                                                                                                              Dis-60, Lum-40
serpent charmer                                                                                       A5III

Regulus (L)       REG-you-luss                 Alpha Leonis                 7         21st Br, Triple,
                                                                                                               Dia-5
                                                                                                            Dis-85, Lum-160
the prince                                                                                                 B7V

Rigel (A)            RYE-jell                         Beta Orionis                 6        7th Br, Triple,
                                                                                                                Dia-50
                                                                                                    Dis-900, Lum-60,000
Orion's left foot                                                                                         B8Ia

Saiph (A)         SAFE                             Kappa Orionis                6
                                                                                                  Dis-1250, Lum-25,000
sword of the powerful one                                                             B1Ia

Scheat (A)       SHEE-at                         Beta Pegasi                    3     Var, Dia-145,
                                                                                                           T-3100
                                                                                                          Dis-210, Lum-370
the leg                                                                                                 MII-III

Sirius (G)        SEER-ee-us                 Alpha Canis Major             6     1st Br, Double,
                                                                                                            5th Nr
                                                                                                            Dis-8.8, Lum-23
the scorching one                                                                                 A1V

Spica (L)         SPY-ka                         Alpha Virginis                 8 16th Br, Sp Bin, Var
                                                                                                       Dis-220, Lum-1500
the ear of corn                                                                                     B1V

Thuban (A)       THEW-ban                 Alpha Draconis                 1
                                                                                                Polestar 3700-1500 BC
                                                                                                    Dis-215, Lum-135
dragon                                                                                         A0III

Vega (A)         VEE-guh                       Alpha Lyrae                     2         5th Br, Dia-3.5
                                                                                                            Dis-26, Lum-58
falling eagle or vulture                                                                                 A0V