Kochab

Designations

Bayer: β UMi
Flamsteed: 7 UMi
Hipparchos: HIP 72607

Data

Constellation: Ursa Minor
Apparent Magnitude: 2.08
Right Ascension (J2000): 14h50m43.25s
Declination (J2000): +74°09'39".7
Colour Index (B-V): 1.47
Distance: 130.71±0.63ly

Description

Kochab is the second-brightest star of Ursa Minor. It and the star Pherkad (γ UMi) are situated at the spout of the Little Dipper, and as the closest-by bright circlers of pole they are called the Guardians of the Pole.

Nomenclature

Kochab

First attested in Renaissance times and of unsure etymology, Kunitszch and Smart (2006) proposed that it could come from Arabic kawkab, a generic term meaning 'star'. They also proposed that it could be a corruption of Alrucaba, from Arabic al-Rukba, 'the knee [of the Greater Bear]', first applied to θ UMa and then supposedly missapplied to β UMi (see also α UMi).

Nair al Farkadan, or Anwar al Farkadan

The former is from Arabic Nayyir al-Farqadān, the latter from Arabic Anwār al-Farqadān, both meaning 'the bright one of the two young gazelles'. The title refers to the ind-Arab asterism al-Farqadān, 'the two young gazelles', composed of β & γ UMi.

Sources

IAU WGSN. IAU-Catalog of Star Names (CSN). link.
Stellarium Contributors. Stellarium Astronomy Software. link.
Ridpath, Ian. Star Tales. link.
Kunitszch, Paul. Smart, Tim. A Dictionary of Modern Star Names (2006), pp. 58. link.
Lafitte, Roland. Catalogue of Star Names of the Arabian Traditional Sky. link.
Allen, Richard Hinckley. Star Names - Their Lore and Meaning (1899), pp. 458-459. link.