Alpha Gruis
Encyclopedia
Alpha Gruis is the brightest star
in the constellation
Grus
.
Alpha Gruis has a proper name Alnair or Al Nair (sometimes Al Na'ir), came from the Arabic
al-nayyir[ an-nai:r] , meaning "the bright one". It is derived from the Arabic name of this star, al-Nayyir min Dhanab al-ḥūt (al-Janūbiyy), "the Bright (star) belongs to the Tail of (the constellation of) the (Southern) Fish
". Confusingly, Alnair is also given as the proper name for Zeta Centauri
in an astronomical ephemerides in the middle of the 20th century.
With β
, δ, θ. ι, and λ Gru, it belonged to Piscis Austrinus
in traditional Arabic astronomy.
In Chinese
, , meaning Crane, refers to an asterism consisting of α Gruis, β Gruis
, ε Gruis, η Gruis, δ Tucanae, ζ Gruis, ι Gruis, θ Gruis, δ2 Gruis and μ1 Gruis. Consequently, α Gruis itself is known as . From this Chinese name, the name Ke was appeared.
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Grus
Grus (constellation)
Grus is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the crane, a species of bird. It was introduced in the late sixteenth century.-History:The stars that form Grus were originally considered part of Piscis Austrinus...
.
Alpha Gruis has a proper name Alnair or Al Nair (sometimes Al Na'ir), came from the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
al-nayyir
Piscis Austrinus
Piscis Austrinus is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. The name is Latin for "the southern fish" in contrast with the larger constellation Pisces, which represents a pair of fishes. Prior to the 20th century, it was also known as Piscis Notius...
". Confusingly, Alnair is also given as the proper name for Zeta Centauri
Zeta Centauri
Zeta Centauri is a star in the constellation Centaurus. It has the proper name Alnair, from the scientific-Arabic Nayyir Badan Qanṭūris , meaning "The Bright of the Body of the Centaur"....
in an astronomical ephemerides in the middle of the 20th century.
With β
Beta Gruis
Beta Gruis is the second brighest star in the southern constellation of Grus. It was once considered the rear star in the tail of the constellation of the Fish: it, with α, δ, θ...
, δ, θ. ι, and λ Gru, it belonged to Piscis Austrinus
Piscis Austrinus
Piscis Austrinus is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. The name is Latin for "the southern fish" in contrast with the larger constellation Pisces, which represents a pair of fishes. Prior to the 20th century, it was also known as Piscis Notius...
in traditional Arabic astronomy.
In Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, , meaning Crane, refers to an asterism consisting of α Gruis, β Gruis
Beta Gruis
Beta Gruis is the second brighest star in the southern constellation of Grus. It was once considered the rear star in the tail of the constellation of the Fish: it, with α, δ, θ...
, ε Gruis, η Gruis, δ Tucanae, ζ Gruis, ι Gruis, θ Gruis, δ2 Gruis and μ1 Gruis. Consequently, α Gruis itself is known as . From this Chinese name, the name Ke was appeared.