Jordanus

Globe gores of the 1612 celestial globe by van den Keere & Plancius on which Plancius introduced his last set of biblically inspired constellations, including Jordanus (highlighted). Note that the year 1625 mentioned in one of the cartouches is not the year of publication but the epoch for which the stellar coordinates were plotted.

Jordanis Constellation Position on a modern map (CC BY Ultima Thulean)

Jordanus in Jakob Bartsch's Planisphaerium Stellatum 1661

Dürer (1515): Map of Ursa Major with eight free stars south of it. animated GIF highlights them (CC BY SMH)

An obsolete Early Modern constellation made from eight unnamed Ptolemaic stars: Alpha and Beta CVn, Alpha, 31 and 38 Lyncis (according to Toomer), and three fainter stars of uncertain identity.

Etymology and History

It is the name of a (real) river with immense cultural significance, not only as a border between countries but also for several religions. The English word is a Latin loanword, derived from Semitic 'Yard|on' 'flow down' <√ירד reflecting the river's declivity (Hebrew: נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, Nəhar hayYardēn, Arabic: نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, Nahr al-ʾUrdunn).

Constellation

The extinct constellation "Jordanus Fluvius" or "Jordanis" – the river Jordan – was invented by Petrus Plancius on his 1612 celestial globe. The constellation first appeared in print in the book Usus Astronomicus Planisphaerii Stellati by Jacob Bartsch (1624), as his 26th constellation – "Iordanis" or "Iordanus". In the illustration of "Iordanis" on Bartsch's celestial globe Planisphaerium Stellatum... (1661), the star Alpha Lyncis appears as one of the prominent stars in the middle of the constellation. The extinct constellation also appeared as "Iordan" on Isaac Habrecht's (1628) Planiglobium coeleste et terrestre, "Fluvius Jordanis" in Carel Allard's (1708) Planisphaerii Coelestis Hemisphaerium Septentrionale and "Ior-Dan" in Corbinianus Thomas' (1730) Mercurii philosophici firmamentum firmianum. John Barentine (2016) notes that most of the area of Jordanis (and its aliases) was carved up in Hevelius's Lynx, Leo Minor, and Canes Venatici, which were subsequently adopted as constellations by the IAU in the 1920s.

Occurrence in historical maps and globes

• van den Keere, Pieter & Plancius, Petrus 1612, celestial globe.
• Bartsch, Jacob, 1624, Usus Astronomicus Planisphaerii Stellati, p. 57.
• Habrecht, Isaac, 1628, Planiglobium coeleste et terrestre, Figura I.
• Cellarius, Andreas, 1660, Harmonia Macrocosmica, Plates 24, 25 & 26.
• Royer, Augustin, 1679, Cartes du ciel reduites en quatre tables.
• Brunacci, Francesco, 1687, Planisfero del Globo Celeste Arctico & Antarctico.
• Coronelli, Vincenzo, 1692, Planisfero Settentrionale, corretto, et accresciuto di molte Stelle, also on his celestial globes dated 1693 & 1696.
• Allard, Carel, 1708, Planisphaerii Coelestis Hemisphaerium Septentrionale.
• Thomas, Corbinianus, 1730, Mercurii philosophici firmamentum firmianum, Frankfurt/Leipzig.

Transformation of Constellation

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  The eight 'external' stars south of Ursa Major in Dürer's star chart 1515, described by Ian Ridpath (highlighted by SMH).

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  Globe gores of the 1612 celestial globe by van den Keere & Plancius on which Plancius introduced his last set of biblically inspired constellations, including Jordanus (highlighted).

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  Jordanus constellation (highlighted) in Habrecht, Isaak, Planiglobium coeleste ac terrestre (1666).

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  Ursa Major on a celestial Globe by Isaac Habrecht (1675), (Dommuseum Hildesheim, Inv.-Nr. 1980-7). Jordanus is drawn with two headwaters labelled "Ior" and "Dan", and the Big Dipper is drawn as a Chariot with Charioteer pulled by three animals (instead of the handle of the dipper).

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  Image of the river with its direction of flow reversed by Johann ‍Ludwig ‍Andreae (1724) with description by Ian Ridpath

Mythology / Cultural Significance

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  The Jordan River. Modified from MAP Cross-checked with other maps, especially in the area of the Hula swamp and the tributaries (see Wikicommons).

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  Bethabara at Jordan River (west), CC0.

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  Baptism ceremony at Bethabara, Jordan River (west), CC0.

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  Bethabara at Jordan River (west) where Jesus was baptised (according to Matthew) as ceremonial place, CC0.

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  Bethabara at Jordan River (west) where Jesus was baptised (according to Matthew) as ceremonial place, CC0.

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  Bethabara at Jordan River (west) where Jesus was baptised (according to Matthew) as ceremonial place and with a church visible at the east side of the river, CC0.

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  Probes of Jordan River water are sold as souvenirs, CC0.

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  The Jordan River defines the borders between Israel and Jordan. It has rich cultural and historical significance (CC BY SA 2.5 Author: David Bjorgen, from Wikimedia Commons).

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  Several churches at both sides of the Jordan River, cc0.

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  Jordan River is in a depression: partially below sea-level (CC0)

Arabic Names of the Stars in Jordanus

al-Ẓibā’ in Paul Kunitzsch, Untersuchungen zur Sternnomenklatur, 1961.

* 21a. awlād aẓ-Ẓibā’, p. 39:

„die Jungen der Gazellen“. Ibn Qutayba 67, 1 (bei den unter Mondstation 14 mitbehandelten Sternen): kawākib ṣiġār fī-mā bayna ẓ-ẓibā’ wa-l-qafazāt „kleine Sterne zwischen aẓ-ẓibā’ [nr. 329] und al-qafazāt [nr. 211a]“. Ṣūfī 34, 1f. und 18‒20 zählt besonders den 5. bis 8. externen Stern im ptolemäischen Bildes Großer Bär = Fl. 10 Leonis Minoris; IX, 115; VIII, 245; Fl. 31 Lyncis hierzu, sowie all die zahllosen Sterne, die schwächer sind als Größe sechs und die Ptolemäus nicht angeführt hat.

English: 'the young of the gazelles’. Ibn Qutayba 67, 1 (for the stars treated under lunar station 14): kawākib ṣiġār fī-mā bayna ẓ-ẓibā‘ wa-l-qafazāt “small stars between aẓ-ẓibā” [no. 329] and al-qafazāt [no. 211a]’. Ṣūfī 34, 1f. and 18-20 counts especially the 5th to 8th external star in the Ptolemaic image Great Bear = Fl. 10 Leonis Minoris; IX, 115; VIII, 245; Fl. 31 Lyncis, as well as all the countless stars that are fainter than magnitude six and that Prolemy did not mention.

* 329. aẓ-Ẓibā’, p. 120:

„die Gazellen“. Ibn Qutayba 66, 11 (bei den unter Mondstation 14 mitbehandelten Sternen): kawākib mustaṭīla asfal min qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā’ „der Länge nach angeordnete Sterne unterhalb von qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā’ [= ικλμνξ Ursa Majoris]“; Ṣūfī 33,7 identifiziert aẓ-ẓibā’ mit den Sternen auf Brauen, Augen, Ohren und Maul des ptolemäischen Bildes Großer Bär (d. h. der 4., 5., 2., 3., 6. und 1. Stern) = ρο²Aπ²σ²dο Ursae Majoris, wozu er 33, 19‒34, 2 noch den 8., 3., und 4. externen des Großen Bären = Fl. 31, 40 (α), 38 Lyncis hinzunimmt. Nur die letzteren drei stimmen mit der anwā’ Definition „unterhalb von qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā’” überein.

English: ‘the gazelles’. Ibn Qutayba 66, 11 (for the stars treated under lunar station 14): kawākib mustaṭīla asfal min qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā‘ “stars arranged lengthwise below qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā” [= ικλμνξ Ursa Majoris]’; Ṣūfī 33,7 identifies aẓ-ẓibā with the stars on the brows, eyes, ears and mouth of the Ptolemaic image Great Bear (i.e. the 4th, 5th, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 1st stars). i.e. the 4th, 5th, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 1st star) = ρο²Aπ²σ²dο Ursae Majoris, to which he adds 33, 19-34, 2 the 8th, 3rd and 4th exterior of the Great Bear = Fl. 31, 40 (α), 38 Lynis. Only the latter three agree with the anwā‘ definition “below qafazāt aẓ-ẓibā”’.

The Gazelles, the Offspring of the Gazelles, the Leaps of the Gazelles, and the Watering Trough, after Ibn Qutayba. The location of the Gazelles according to al-Ṣūfī is also provided. (Danielle Adams, own work)

al-Ẓibā’ in Danielle Adams, Rain Stars Set, Lunar Stations Rise, 2018, p. 102.

"Both Ibn Qutayba and al-Marzūqī report that the Gazelles themselves [al-ẓibāʾ] were represented by an elongated line of stars located below their Leaps, with the Offspring of the Gazelles (awlād al-ẓibāʾ) as the very faint stars that lie between the Gazelles and their Leaps (Ibn Qutayba 1956, 66-67; al-Marzūqī 1914, 2:374). According to al-Ṣūfī, the Gazelles leapt away from the Coarse Tail Hair of the Lion and arrived at the Watering Trough (al-ḥawḍ), which is a semicircle of stars located near the Third Leap that the other authors also describe (1981, 33; Ibn Qutayba 1956, 67; al-Marzūqī 1914, 2:374-375). Al-Ṣūfī locates the line of Gazelles in a different location near the Watering Trough, with their Offspring again being the many faint stars located nearby and extending toward the Extended Forearm of the Lion (dhirāʿ al-asad al-mabsūṭa; 1981, 33, 34)."

al-Ẓibā’, «°les Gazelles°» (CC BY Roland Laffitte 2024)

al-Ẓibā’, « les Gazelles » (CC BY Roland Laffitte 2024)

al-Ẓibā’ in Roland Laffitte, Le ciel des Arabes, 2012, pp. 112-113.

ο2ρπ2σ2d UMa +αβ CVn + α/31 Lyn
	Arabic	French	English	Author
al-Ẓibā’		les Gazelles	the Gazelles	Qutayba
α Lyn	Ğanūbī ’l-Ḍibā’ [p/ al-Ẓibā’]	l’Australe des Gazelles	the southern one of the Gazelles	Miṣrī
31 Lyn	Mutaq. al-Ḍibā’ [p/ al-Ẓibā’]	l’Antérieure des Gazelles	the front one of the Gazelles	Miṣrī
38 Lyn	Šamālī ’l-Ḍibā’   [en fait : al-Ẓibā’]	la Boréale des Hyènes   [en fait : les Gazelles]	the northern one of of the Hyena	Miṣrī
46, 21+β LMi
	Awlād al-Ẓibā’	les Petits des Gazelles	the small one of the Gazelles	Qutayba
	Awlād al-Ġizlān	idem		Ṣūfī
τhυφθef UMa
	al-Ḥawḍ	l’Abreuvoir	the Water Trough	Qutayba
	al-ᶜUnq	l’Assemblée	the Meeting	Qutayba
ικλμνξ UMa
	Qafazāt al-Ẓibā’	les Sauts	the Jumps	Qutayba
	al-Qafazāt	les Sauts [des Gazelles]	the Jumps (of the Gazelles)	Qutayba
	Qafazāt al-Ġizlān	les Sauts des Gazelles	The Jumps of the Gazelles	Ṣūfī
	al-Qawāfiz	les Bondissantes	the Bouncings	Marzūqī
	Baqarāt al-Ẓibā’	les Gazelles femelles	the female Gazelles	Fāris
νξ UMa	al-Qafazat al-Ūlā	le 1er Saut	First Jump	Ṣūfī
λμ UMa	al-Qafazat al-Ṯāniyya	le 2nd Saut	Second Jump	Ṣūfī
ικ UMa	al-Qafazat al-Ṯāliṯa	le 3ème Saut	Third Jump	Ṣūfī
ι UMa	Šamālī ’l-Qafazat al-Ūlā    [en fait : al-Ṯāliṯa]	la Boréale du 1er Saut    [en fait : le 3ème]	the northern one of the first jump	Miṣrī
κ UMa	Ğanūbī ’l-Qafazat al-Ūlā    [en fait : al-Ṯāliṯa]	l’Australe du Premier Saut    [en fait : le 3ème]	the southern one of the first jump	Miṣrī
λ UMa	[Šamālī] ’l-Q. al-Ṯāniyya	[la Boréale] du 2nd Saut	(the northern one) of the second jump	Miṣrī
μ UMa	Ğanūbī ’l-Q al-Ṯāniyya	l’Australe du 2nd Saut	the southern one of the second jump	Miṣrī
ξ UMa	Ğanūbī ’l-Q. al-Ṯāliṯa    [en fait : al- Ūlā]	l’Australe du 3ème Saut    [en fait le 1er]	the southern one of the third jump	Miṣrī

NB : Miṣrī is Nağm al-Dīn al- Miṣrī (XIVth c.), see Ğadwal maṭāliᶜ al-kawākib wa-abᶜādihā wa-ğihatihi, or "Tables of right ascensions of the stars and their declinations", accompanied by their signs [+ or -] is one of the tables in the book Kitāb fī l-ālāt al-falakiyya by Nağm al-Dīn al-Miṣrī, between 1325 and 1340. It is edited and partially translated by ms. Oxford, Bodeliean Library, Marsh 672, fol. 148v-151r, in CHARRETTE, François, Mathematical Intrumentation in Fourteenth-Century Egypt and Syria^B►, 2003, p. 360-370.

IAU Working Group Star Names

The name was suggested to the IAU WGSN to be used as a star name in 2023. Alpha and Beta CVn are already named (Cor Caroli and Chara), the brightest of the others is Alpha Lyncis (SIMBAD: 3.1 mag in V). For this star, also the star name "Xuanyuan" was suggested but rejected because of the tremendous significance of this Chinese term for the Chinese cultural heritage.

In the earliest versions of the drawing of the Jordanus River, the headwaters of the river are marked by three stars, likely to be identified with 25 CVn and 20 CVn + HR 4997. Their names on late 16th-century Dutch biblical maps are Dan and Ior. Thus, it is proposed to name one, two or all three stars within the obsolete constellation (NOTE: WGSN does not assign single names to pairs of stars, so select a single star per name):

1. α Lyncis: "Jordanus", (SIMBAD: 3.1 mag in V)
2. 25 CVn: "Ior" (SIMBAD 4.82 mag) for the sake of symmetry, or perhaps BH CVn (SIMBAD 4.94-5.1 mag VSX), but on some maps explicitly only one star here
3. 20 CVn or HR 4997: "Dan" (SIMBAD 4.69 mag, SIMBAD 4.94 mag)

The above list of historical names confirms, that there are no Arabic names competing for the stars are suggested to call Ior and Dan.

The WGSN chose ... (not to apply/ to apply the name to a neighbouring star/ to ...) in the IAU-CSN.

Weblinks

• Ridpath, Ian, "Star Tales: online edition".