Shampagen's Astronomy
Star Cultures • Modern Constellations • Stars • Asterisms • Deep Sky Objects

Alsafi

Designations

  • Bayer: σ Dra
  • Flamsteed: 61 Dra
  • Hipparchos: HIP 96100

Data

  • Constellation: Draco
  • Apparent Magnitude: 4.68
  • Right Ascension (J2000): 19h32m28.34s
  • Declination (J2000): +69°38'59".0
  • Colour Index (B-V): 0.78
  • Distance: 18.80±0.01ly

Nomenclature

Alsafi

The name is a corruption of Arabic al-Aṯāfi, a mistranscription of al-Aṯāfī, a name used to designate the tripod stoves of Bedouin open-air kitchens. This term was also used to designate multiple triangular asterisms in the indigenous Arabian sky, such as those composed of λ, φ1, & φ2 Ori and α, ε, & ζ Lyr. σ Dra is named for that composed of σ, τ, & υ Dra, which was associated with the nearby asterism of al-Qidr, 'the cauldron', in Cepheus.

Sources

  • IAU WGSN. IAU-Catalog of Star Names (CSN). link.
  • Stellarium Contributors. Stellarium Astronomy Software. link.
  • Lafitte, Roland. Catalogue of Star Names of the Arabian Traditional Sky. link.
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