Bunda

From All Skies Encyclopaedia


Bunda, henbane, is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Persian. It is the name of HIP 106786 (ξ Aqr, HR 8264) in constellation Aquarius.

Etymology and History

Variants:

  • Pāz. Bunda
  • Pahl. Bunya

Bunda is a Persian lunar mansion with the main star ξ Aqr (to which the modern IAU-name was assigned).

The twenty-fourth xwardag is called [WHERE DID YOU FIND; IT is not in the mss.] Banzag or Bang, derived from the word for “henbane” or “hemp.” It corresponds to the Sanskrit asterism Śraviṣṭhā / Dhaniṣṭhā, located in the constellation Delphinus or Capricornus. In al-Bīrūnī’s Sogdian-Khwarezmian list, the 22nd mansion matches this, and the  Arabic equivalent is سعد السعود (Saʿd al-Suʿūd, “the Luckiest of the Lucky”).

Mythology

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2018/06/01.

Weblinks

Reference