Auriga

Auriga star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).

One of the 88 IAU constellations.

Etymology and History

The Greek constellation ...

Origin of Constellation

Babylonian

Kugel Globe: Auriga and Taurus (drawing by SMH 2024)

Greco-Roman

Aratos

If you are minded to observe the Charioteer and the Charioteer’s stars, and rumour has reached you of the Goat herself and the Kids, who have often looked down on men being tossed upon the heaving sea, [160] you will find the Charioteer lying large to the left of the Twins, while opposite Helice circles his head at that extremity. Fastened to his left shoulder is the sacred Goat, who is said to have tendered her breast to Zeus: the interpreters of Zeus call her the Olenian Goat. [165] Now he is large and brilliant, but her Kids there on the Charioteer’s wrist shine faintly.

Near the feet of the Charioteer look for the horned Bull crouching. This constellation is very recognisable, so clearly defined is its head: one needs no other [170] sign to identify the ox’s head, so well do the stars themselves model both sides of it as they go round. Their name is also very popular: the Hyades are not just nameless. They are set out all along the Bull’s face; the point of its left horn [175] and the right foot o f the adjacent Charioteer are occupied by a single star, and they are pinned together as they go. But the Bull is always ahead o f the Charioteer in sinking to the horizon, though it rises simultaneously.

(Kidd 1997)

Almagest Ἠνίοχος.

id	Greek (Heiberg 1898)	English (Toomer 1984)	ident.
	Ἡνιόχου ἀστερισμός	Constellation of Auriga
1	ὁ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς δύο ὁ νοτιώτερος.	The southernmost of the two on the head	del Aur
2	ὁ βορειότερος καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν κεφαλήν	The northernmost [ of these], over the head	xi Aur
3	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ὤμου καλούμευος Αἵξ.	The star on the left shoulder, called Capella	alf Aur
4	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ὥμου	The star on the right shoulder	bet Aur
5	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀγκῶνος.	The star on the right elbow	nu Aur
6	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ καρποῦ.	The star on the. right wrist	tet Aur
	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ἀγκῶνος.	The star on the left elbow	eps Aur
	τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ καρποῦ β καλουμένων Ἑρίφων ὁ ἐπόμενος	The rearmost of the two stars on the left wrist, which are called 'Haedi'	eta Aur
	ὁ προηγούμενος αὐτῶν.	The more ad;,anced of these	zet Aur
	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ σφυροῦ.	The star on the left ankle	iot Aur
	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ σφυροῦ κοινὸς κέρατος.	The star on the right ankle, which is [ applied in] common to the horn [ of Taurus]	bet Tau
	ὁ τούτου ἀπ’ ἄρκτων ἐν τῷ περιποδύῳ.	The one to the north of the latter, in the lower hem [ of the garment]	chi Aur
	ὁ ἔτι τούτου βορειότερος ἐπὶ τοῦ γλουτοῦ.	The one north aga,in of this, on the buttock	phi Aur
	ὁ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀριστερὸν πόδα μικρός	The small star over the left foot	14 Aur
	ἀστέρες ἰδ, ὥν α μεγέθουςα, β’ ἂ, γ’ β, δ’ὁ, ε β, ς ἂ.	14 stars, I of the first magnitude, l of the second, 2 of the third, 7 of the fourth, 2 of the fifth, I of the sixth}

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

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  Auriga as Erichtonius in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).

References

• References (general)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)