Azmidi
This modern star name for ξ Pup is based on corruptions of a Greek term (Aspidiske) that was used to describe several stars in the constellation of Argo, The Ship. Today, it is located in the constellation Puppis.
Etymology and History
Almagest Star Catalogue for Argo
In the following excerpt of Ptolemy's star list in Argo shows that he describes three stars relative to a "little shield" (Aspidiske):
| No. | Greek (Heiberg 1894) | English translation (Toomer 1984) | ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | τών ύπὲρ τὴν έν τῇ πρύμνῃ ἀσπιδίσκηv β συνεχῶν
ὁ βορειότερος |
The northernmost of the 2 stars close together over the little shield in the poop | xi Pup |
| 4 | vοτιώτερος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | o Pup |
| 5 | ὁ τούτωv προηγούμεvος | The star in advance of these | m Pup
(HR 2944) |
| 6 | ὁ έν μέσῃ τῇ ἀσπιδίσκῃ λαμπρός | The bright star in the middle of the little shield | k Pup
(HR 2948 +29) |
| 7 | τῶν ὑπο την ἀσπιδίσκην γ ὁ προηγούμενος | The most advanced of the 3 stars under the little shield | p Pup
(HR 2922) |
| 8 | ὁ ἐπόμεvος αὐτῶν | The rearmost of them | 3 Pup |
| 9 | ὁ μέσος τῶν τριῶv | The middle one of the three | 1 Pup |
The shield is marked by the star k Pup (HIP 37229) while the stars ξ and o Pup frame the shield to the north, and p Pup, 3 Pup and 1 Pup frame it to the south.
Mythology
The star or the shield do not have an individual mythology. The Ship Argo has a Greek mythology and possibly also roots in the Mesopotamian Gilgamesh Epic.
IAU Working Group Star Names
The name was discussed and approved by the IAU WGSN in 2018; its corrupted (and much shorter) form "Azmidi" was given to ξ Pup in the IAU-CSN.
