Kitalpha

Kitalpha 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 104987 (α Equ, HR 8131) in constellation Equ.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from the sci-A constellation name qit'at al-faras, "the Section of the Horse", for Equuleus. Ptolemy had Ἵππου Προτομή, "the First Half of the Horse", for the constellation, because it shows only half the figure (as with the constellations Taurus, Pegasus, and the Greek ship Argo).

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/08/21.

Weblinks

• Website of the IAU WGSN: https://exopla.net/

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.