Fafnir
Designations
- Flamsteed: 42 Dra
- Hipparchos: HIP 90344
Data
- Constellation: Draco
- Apparent Magnitude: 4.82
- Right Ascension (J2000): 18h26m02.42s
- Declination (J2000): +65°33'57".7
- Colour Index (B-V): 1.18
- Distance: 294.90±2.13ly
Nomenclature
Fafnir
The Brevard Astronomical Society of Brevard County, Florida, USA named this star Fafnir as part of the NameExoWorlds 2015 competion from Old Norse Fáfnir, the name of a dragon in the Völsunga saga. In the tale, Fafnir slew his father Hreithmar to steal his fortune, obtained as a weregild from Odin in compensation for the loss of one of his sons. However, Odin cursed the fortune, transforming Fafnir into a dragon to guard it once he stole it. Fafnir's brother Regin then enlisted the help of the hero Sigurd to slay Fafnir. When Sigurd slew Fafnir, he was asked to cook its heart by Regin. However, upon touching the heart his thumb was burnt, and when suckling on it to ease the pain he learnt the language of the birds, whereupon he was told that Regin planned to betray him. Sigurd then killed Regin and took Fafnir's hoard for himself.
The exoplanet companion of Fafnir was named Orbitar to commemorate NASA's "orbital" acheivements.