Nganurganity
"Nganurganity" [ˈŋanuɾˌɡ̊aniɟ̊] is the Boorong/Wergaia name of σ CMa, from northwestern Victoria, Australia.[1] The Boorong are a clan of the indigenous Maligundidj people, who saw it as an ancestral figure who fights the moon, flanked by his wives.
Etymology and History
Nganurganity is an ancestral jacky lizard who has two wives, represented by stars on either side of him (δ CMa and ε CMa). The Moon is Mityan, the quoll. Mityan fell in love with one of the wives of Unurgunite and tried to lure her away. Nganurganity discovered Mityan’s trickery and attacked him, leading to a great fight in which Mityan was defeated. The Moon has been wandering the heavens ever since, the scars of the battle still visible on his face as maria. One of the wives (δ CMa) lies further away from Nganurganity and is closer to the Moon than the other wife (ε CMa). This is the wife Mityan tried to lure away.
Early Anthropology Misreading
In 19th century literature Stanbridge (1857)[2], the name was misspelt as "Unurgunite" for initial ng- (of the correct term "Nganurganity") does not occur in English. It was typically ignored in transcription of that era. WGSN corrects the spelling.
Mythology
IAU Working Group on Star Names
The name was discussed and adopted to the IAU-CSN by the IAU WGSN in 2017.
