Shaowei
Designations
- Bayer: γ Cam
- Hipparchos: HIP 17959
Data
- Constellation: Camelopardalis
- Apparent Magnitude: 4.60
- Right Ascension (J2000): 03h50m20.20s
- Declination (J2000): +71°19'39".3
- Colour Index (B-V): 0.05
- Distance: 386.44±3.66ly
Nomenclature
Shaowei
The star was named for the Chinese single-star asterism 少卫 Shàowèi, 'second imperial guard', the sixth star on 紫微右垣 Zǐwēiyòuyuán, 'Purple Palace Right Wall', counting northwards from the southern gate. Most sources identify it with a star in Camelopardalis.
Individual names for the fifteen stars of 紫宮 Zǐgōng were not attested until the Tang period. It is likely that they were coined to elaborate on a passage in 石氏讚 Shìshizan, Shi's Commentary, stating that the fifteen stars represented vassal ministers.
There are two stars named Shàowèi standing along Zǐwēiyòuyuán, but written with different characters. The second star is 少尉 while the sixth, of interest here, is 少卫. Along the left wall there is another 少卫 Shàowèi, this one the seventh from the south.