Alnitak

From All Skies Encyclopaedia

Alnitak is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Arabic. It is the name of HIP 26727 (ζ Ori, HR 1948) in constellation Ori.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of the ind-A asterism name nitaq al-jauza, "the Belt (or Girdle) of al-jauza", for δ, ε, and ζ Ori.

Mythology

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/07/20.

Weblinks

Reference

  • References (general)
  • Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub.