Chinese constellation
Encyclopedia
Chinese
constellations are the way the ancient Chinese grouped the star
s. They are very different from the modern IAU
recognized constellation
s. This is because the IAU was based on Greco-Roman astronomy
instead of Chinese astronomy
.
Ancient Chinese skywatchers divided their night sky into 31 regions, namely the Three Enclosures
(三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions
(二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次). The Three Enclosures
occupy the area close to the North Celestial Pole. The stars in the Three Enclosures can be seen all year around.
The Twenty-eight Mansions
occupy the zodiacal band. These find their equivalent in the 28 Lunar mansions
of western astrology and the Nakshatra
of Indian astrology. Though marked along the zodiac they are defined by the movement of the Moon in a lunar month
rather than the Sun in a solar year.
are the Purple Forbidden enclosure
(紫微垣, Zǐ Wēi Yuán), the Supreme Palace enclosure
(太微垣, Tài Wēi Yuán) and the Heavenly Market enclosure
(天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán). The Purple Forbidden Enclosure occupies the northernmost area of the night sky. From the viewpoint of the ancient Chinese, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure lies in the middle of the sky, and is circled by all the other stars.
The Supreme Palace Enclosure lies east and north to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, while the Heavenly Market Enclosure lies west and south. The Three Enclosures are separated by "walls", which are asterisms
with their shapes resembling their namesakes.
, each associated with a compass direction and containing seven mansions. The names and determinative stars are:
was unknown to ancient Chinese. Therefore, it was not included in the Three Enclosures
and Twenty-Eight Mansions
system. However, by the end of the Ming Dynasty
, Xu Guangqi
introduced another 23 asterisms based on the knowledge of western star charts. These asterisms were since incorporated into the traditional Chinese star maps.
The asterisms are :
did it in a similar way. Basically, every star is assigned to an asterism. Then a number is given to the individual stars in this asterism. Therefore, a star is designated as "Asterism name" + "Number". The numbering of the stars in an asterism, however, is not based on the apparent magnitude of this star as the Bayer
system usually is, but rather its position in the asterism. (The Bayer system does use this Chinese method sometimes, most notably with the stars in the Big Dipper
, which are all about the same magnitude.)
For example, Altair is named 河鼓二 in Chinese. 河鼓 is the name of the asterism (literally the Drum at the River). 二 is the number designation (two). Therefore it literally means "the Second Star of the Drum at the River". (Bayer might have called Altair "Beta Tympani Flumine" if he had been cataloguing Chinese constellations.)
Some stars also have traditional names, often related to mythology
or astrology
. For example, Altair is more commonly known as 牛郎星 or 牵牛星 (the Star of the Cowherd) in Chinese, after the mythological story of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
These designations are still used in modern Chinese astronomy. All stars for which the traditional names are used in English are routinely translated by their traditional Chinese designations, rather than translations of their catalogue names.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
constellations are the way the ancient Chinese grouped the star
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...
s. They are very different from the modern IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
recognized 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....
s. This is because the IAU was based on Greco-Roman astronomy
Greek astronomy
Greek astronomy is astronomy written in the Greek language in classical antiquity. Greek astronomy is understood to include the ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Greco-Roman, and Late Antiquity eras. It is not limited geographically to Greece or to ethnic Greeks, as the Greek language had become the...
instead of Chinese astronomy
Chinese astronomy
Astronomy in China has a very long history, with historians considering that "they [the Chinese] were the most persistent and accurate observers of celestial phenomena anywhere in the world before the Arabs."...
.
Ancient Chinese skywatchers divided their night sky into 31 regions, namely the Three Enclosures
Three enclosures
The Three enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , Supreme Palace enclosure , and Heavenly Market enclosure in the Chinese constellation system....
(三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions
Twenty-eight mansions
The Twenty-eight Mansions , ', ' or ' are part of the Chinese constellations system. They can be considered as the equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in the Western astronomy, though the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a solar year...
(二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次). The Three Enclosures
Three enclosures
The Three enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , Supreme Palace enclosure , and Heavenly Market enclosure in the Chinese constellation system....
occupy the area close to the North Celestial Pole. The stars in the Three Enclosures can be seen all year around.
The Twenty-eight Mansions
Twenty-eight mansions
The Twenty-eight Mansions , ', ' or ' are part of the Chinese constellations system. They can be considered as the equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in the Western astronomy, though the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a solar year...
occupy the zodiacal band. These find their equivalent in the 28 Lunar mansions
Lunar mansion
A lunar mansion is a segment of the ecliptic through which the moon moves in its orbit around the earth, often used by ancient cultures as part of their calendar system...
of western astrology and the Nakshatra
Nakshatra
Nakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic...
of Indian astrology. Though marked along the zodiac they are defined by the movement of the Moon in a lunar month
Lunar month
In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two identical syzygies . There are many variations. In Middle-Eastern and European traditions, the month starts when the young crescent moon becomes first visible at evening after conjunction with the Sun one or two days before that evening...
rather than the Sun in a solar year.
Three Enclosures
The Three EnclosuresThree enclosures
The Three enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , Supreme Palace enclosure , and Heavenly Market enclosure in the Chinese constellation system....
are the Purple Forbidden enclosure
Purple Forbidden enclosure
The Purple Forbidden enclosure is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group lie near the north celestial pole and visible all year from temperate latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
(紫微垣, Zǐ Wēi Yuán), the Supreme Palace enclosure
Supreme Palace enclosure
Tai Wei Yuan, the Supreme Palace Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during autumn in the Northern Hemisphere .-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
(太微垣, Tài Wēi Yuán) and the Heavenly Market enclosure
Heavenly Market enclosure
Tian Shi Yuan, the Heavenly Market Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere . The summer triangle lies directly to the northwest.-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
(天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán). The Purple Forbidden Enclosure occupies the northernmost area of the night sky. From the viewpoint of the ancient Chinese, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure lies in the middle of the sky, and is circled by all the other stars.
The Supreme Palace Enclosure lies east and north to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, while the Heavenly Market Enclosure lies west and south. The Three Enclosures are separated by "walls", which are asterisms
Asterism (astronomy)
In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...
with their shapes resembling their namesakes.
The Twenty-Eight Mansions
The Twenty-Eight Mansions are grouped into Four SymbolsFour Symbols (Chinese constellation)
The Four Symbols are four mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations. They are:*Azure Dragon of the East *Vermilion Bird of the South *White Tiger of the West *Black Tortoise of the North...
, each associated with a compass direction and containing seven mansions. The names and determinative stars are:
| Four Symbols Four Symbols (Chinese constellation) The Four Symbols are four mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations. They are:*Azure Dragon of the East *Vermilion Bird of the South *White Tiger of the West *Black Tortoise of the North... (四象) | | Mansion (宿) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Name (pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into... ) | Translation | Determinative star | |
| Azure Dragon of the East (東方青龍) Spring |
1 | 角 (Jiăo) | Horn Horn (Chinese constellation) The Horn mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.-Asterisms:... |
α Vir Spica Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth... |
| 2 | 亢 (Kàng) | Neck Neck (Chinese constellation) The Neck mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.In Chinese Cosmology, the Kang Constellation is associated with the Kidney Organ... |
κ Vir Kappa Virginis Kappa Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo.Kappa Virginis is an orange K-type giant with an apparent magnitude of +4.18. It is approximately 224 light years from Earth.... |
|
| 3 | 氐 (Dĭ) | Root Root (Chinese constellation) The Root mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.-Asterisms:... |
α Lib Alpha Librae Alpha Librae is the second brightest star in the constellation Libra . It has the traditional name Zubenelgenubi. The name, from Arabic الزبن الجنوبي , means "southern claw" and was coined before Libra was recognized as distinct from Scorpius... |
|
| 4 | 房 (Fáng) | Room Room (Chinese constellation) The Room mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.-Asterisms:... |
π Sco Pi Scorpii Pi Scorpii is a triple star system in the constellation Scorpius. It is approximately 459 light years from Earth.Pi Scorpii A is a contact binary of the Beta Lyrae type. Both its members are hot, blue-white B-type dwarfs. Together they have a mean apparent magnitude of +2.89. Their rotation... |
|
| 5 | 心 (Xīn) | Heart Heart (Chinese constellation) The Heart mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.-Asterisms:... |
σ Sco Sigma Scorpii Sigma Scorpii is a star system in the constellation Scorpius. It has the traditional name Al Niyat, although this name is sometimes also applied to Tau Scorpii, or to the asterism formed by both Sigma and Tau. Sigma Scorpii is 735 light years from the Sun.The primary component of the system,... |
|
| 6 | 尾 (Wěi) | Tail Tail (Chinese constellation) The Tail mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.- Asterisms :... |
μ Sco Mu Scorpii The Bayer designation Mu Scorpii is shared by two star systems, in the constellation Scorpius:* μ¹ Scorpii* μ² ScorpiiThey are separated by 0.1° in the sky.... |
|
| 7 | 箕 (Jī) | Winnowing Basket Winnowing Basket (Chinese constellation) The Winnowing Basket mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the eastern mansions of the Azure Dragon.-Asterisms:... |
γ Sgr Gamma Sagittarii Gamma Sagittarii is a 3rd-magnitude star in the constellation Sagittarius.It was temporarily referred to Gamma-2 Sagittarii . The Bayer designation "Gamma Sagittarii" was temporarily shared by two star systems in this constellation, γ1 Sagittarii and γ2 Sagittarii... |
|
| Black Tortoise of the North (北方玄武) Winter |
8 | 斗 (Dǒu) | (Southern) Dipper Dipper (Chinese constellation) The Dipper mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.-Asterisms:-Stars:* ζ Sgr* τ Sgr* σ Sgr* φ Sgr* λ Sgr* μ Sgr... |
φ Sgr Phi Sagittarii Phi Sagittarii is a star in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a member of the teapot asterism marking the junction of lid and handle.Phi Sagittarii is a spectral type B8 giant and has an apparent magnitude of +3.17... |
| 9 | 牛 (Niú) | Ox Ox (Chinese constellation) The Ox mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.-Asterisms:... |
β Cap Beta Capricorni Beta Capricorni is a star system in the constellation Capricornus. It has the traditional name Dabih, which comes from the Arabic الذابح al-dhābiḥ, meaning "the butcher". The β Capricorni system is located 328 light years from Earth... |
|
| 10 | 女 (Nǚ) | Girl Girl (Chinese constellation) The Girl mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :... |
ε Aqr Epsilon Aquarii Epsilon Aquarii is a star in the constellation Aquarius. It has an obscure traditional name, Albali, from the Arabic البالع albāli‘ "the swallower"... |
|
| 11 | 虛 (Xū) | Emptiness Emptiness (Chinese constellation) The Emptiness mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.-Asterisms:... |
β Aqr Beta Aquarii Beta Aquarii is a triple star in the constellation Aquarius. It has the traditional name Sadalsuud, from an Arabic expression سعد السعود sa‘d al-su‘ūd, the "luck of lucks"... |
|
| 12 | 危 (Wēi) | Rooftop Rooftop (Chinese constellation) The Rooftop mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :... |
α Aqr | |
| 13 | 室 (Shì) | Encampment Encampment (Chinese constellation) The Encampment mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.-Asterisms:... |
α Peg Alpha Pegasi Alpha Pegasi is the third brightest star in the constellation Pegasus and one of the four stars in the asterism known as the Great Square of Pegasus. It has the traditional name Markab .Markab is a relatively average star nearing the end of its stellar evolution on the main sequence... |
|
| 14 | 壁 (Bì) | Wall Wall (Chinese constellation) The Wall mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :... |
γ Peg Gamma Pegasi Gamma Pegasi is a star in the constellation of Pegasus. It also has the traditional name Algenib; confusingly however, this name is also used for Alpha Persei.... |
|
| White Tiger of the West (西方白虎) Fall |
15 | 奎 (Kuí) | Legs Legs (Chinese constellation) The Legs mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.-Asterisms:... |
η And Eta Andromedae Eta Andromedae is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation of Andromeda... |
| 16 | 婁 (Lóu) | Bond Bond (Chinese constellation) Leu sieu meaning "the Train of a garment", was one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions of the traditional Chinese astronomy. It was one of the White Tiger of the West （西方白虎）.- The asterisms in the Region of Leu （婁宿天區）:... |
β Ari 35 Arietis 35 Arietis is a star in the constellation Aries. Its apparent magnitude is 4.65.-References:*... |
|
| 17 | 胃 (Wèi) | Stomach Stomach (Chinese constellation) The Stomach mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.-Asterisms:... |
35 Ari Epsilon Arietis Epsilon Arietis is a double star in the constellation Aries. It is approximately 293 light years from Earth.The two components are both white A-type main sequence dwarfs with apparent magnitudes of 5.2 and 5.5 respectively. They are separated by 1.5 arcseconds on the sky... |
|
| 18 | 昴 (Mǎo) | Hairy Head Hairy Head (Chinese constellation) The Hairy Head mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.This mansion corresponds to the Pleiades in English.-Asterisms:... |
17 Tau Electra (star) Electra, also cataloged as 17 Tauri, is a blue-white giant star in the constellation of Taurus. The star is one of the nine brightest stars in the Pleiades open cluster. The most visible stars in this group are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology.The star has an apparent brightness of... |
|
| 19 | 畢 (Bì) | Net Net (Chinese constellation) The Net mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.-Asterisms:... |
ε Tau Epsilon Tauri Epsilon Tauri is an orange giant star, spectral type of K0 III, located approximately 147 light-years away from the Sun in the constellation of Taurus. It is a member of the Hyades open cluster... |
|
| 20 | 觜 (Zī) | Turtle Beak Turtle Beak (Chinese constellation) The Turtle Beak mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger.-Asterisms:... |
λ Ori Lambda Orionis Lambda Orionis is a star in the constellation Orion. It has the traditional names Meissa or Heka. "Meissa" derives from the Arabic "Al-Maisan" which means "The Shining One". This term was used for Gamma Gemini , but was somehow also mistakenly applied to λ Orionis and the name stuck... |
|
| 21 | 參 (Shēn) | Three Stars Three Stars (Chinese constellation) The Three Stars mansion is one of the twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the western mansions of the White Tiger. This collection of seven bright stars is visible during winter in the Northern Hemisphere .- Asterisms :... |
ζ Ori | |
| Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀) Summer |
22 | 井 (Jǐng) | Well Well (Chinese constellation) The Well mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:... |
μ Gem Mu Geminorum Mu Geminorum is a star in the constellation Gemini, approximately 230 light years away from Earth. It has the traditional name Tejat Posterior, which means back foot, because it is the foot of Castor, one of the Gemini twins... |
| 23 | 鬼 (Guǐ) | Ghost Ghost (Chinese constellation) The Ghost mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:... |
θ Cnc Theta Cancri Theta Cancri is a binary star in the constellation Cancer, 494 light years from Earth.θ Cancri is classified as an orange K-type giant with an apparent magnitude of +5.33. Since it is near the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and, very rarely, by planets... |
|
| 24 | 柳 (Liǔ) | Willow Willow (Chinese constellation) The Willow mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:... |
δ Hya Delta Hydrae Delta Hydrae is a Class A1, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Delta Hydrae is a binary double star, located about 180 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:... |
|
| 25 | 星 (Xīng) | Star Star (Chinese constellation) The Star mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.- Asterisms :... |
α Hya Alphard Alphard is the brightest star in the constellation Hydra. The name Alphard is from the Arabic الفرد , "the solitary one", there being no other bright stars near it. It was also known as the "backbone of the Serpent" to the Arabs. In ancient China it formed part of an asterism called the "red bird"... |
|
| 26 | 張 (Zhāng) | Extended Net Extended Net (Chinese constellation) The Extended Net mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:... |
υ¹ Hya Upsilon1 Hydrae Upsilon1 Hydrae is a yellow giant star in the constellation of Hydra. The star is one of Okayama Planet Search's main target for planet search and has turned out to host a substellar companion.-Substellar companion:... |
|
| 27 | 翼 (Yì) | Wings Wings (Chinese constellation) The Wings mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.- Asterisms :... |
α Crt Alpha Crateris Alpha Crateris is a star in the constellation Crater. It has the traditional name Alkes, from the Arabic الكاس alkās or الكأس alka's "the cup".... |
|
| 28 | 軫 (Zhěn) | Chariot Chariot (Chinese constellation) The Chariot mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:... |
γ Crv Gamma Corvi Gamma Corvi is the brightest star in the constellation Corvus. Its traditional name is Gienah, which it shares with Epsilon Cygni... |
|
The Southern Asterisms (近南極星區)
The sky around the south celestial poleCelestial pole
The north and south celestial poles are the two imaginary points in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere...
was unknown to ancient Chinese. Therefore, it was not included in the Three Enclosures
Three enclosures
The Three enclosures are the Purple Forbidden enclosure , Supreme Palace enclosure , and Heavenly Market enclosure in the Chinese constellation system....
and Twenty-Eight Mansions
Twenty-eight mansions
The Twenty-eight Mansions , ', ' or ' are part of the Chinese constellations system. They can be considered as the equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in the Western astronomy, though the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon in a lunar month rather than the Sun in a solar year...
system. However, by the end of the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, Xu Guangqi
Xu Guangqi
Xu Guangqi , was a Chinese scholar-bureaucrat, agricultural scientist, astronomer, and mathematician in the Ming Dynasty. Xu was a colleague and collaborator of the Italian Jesuits Matteo Ricci and Sabatino de Ursis and they translated several classic Western texts into Chinese, including part of...
introduced another 23 asterisms based on the knowledge of western star charts. These asterisms were since incorporated into the traditional Chinese star maps.
The asterisms are :
| English name | Chinese name | Number of stars | Western Constellation |
| Sea and Mountain | 海山 | 6 | Carina Carina (constellation) Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:... /Centaurus Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:... /Musca Musca Musca is one of the minor southern constellations. The constellation was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 in Amsterdam by... /Vela (constellation) Vela (constellation) Vela is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the sails of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Puppis.-Stars:... |
| Cross | 十字架 | 4 | Crux Crux Crux is the smallest of the 88 modern constellations, but is one of the most distinctive. Its name is Latin for cross, and it is dominated by a cross-shaped asterism that is commonly known as the Southern Cross.-Visibility:... |
| Horse's Tail | 馬尾 | 3 | Centaurus Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:... |
| Horse's Abdomen | 馬腹 | 3 | Centaurus Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:... |
| Bee | 蜜蜂 | 4 | Musca Musca Musca is one of the minor southern constellations. The constellation was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 in Amsterdam by... |
| Triangle | 三角形 | 3 | Triangulum Australe Triangulum Australe Triangulum Australe is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name is Latin for 'the southern triangle', which distinguishes it from Triangulum in the northern sky... |
| Exotic Bird | 異雀 | 9 | Apus Apus Apus is a faint constellation in the southern sky, first defined in the late 16th century. Its name means "no feet" in Greek, and it represents a bird-of-paradise . It is bordered by Triangulum Australe, Circinus, Musca, Chamaeleon, Octans, Pavo and Ara... / Octans Octans Octans is a faint constellation the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the eighth part of a circle, but it is named after the octant, a navigational instrument. The constellation was devised by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the eighteenth century.... |
| Peacock | 孔雀 | 11 | Pavo Pavo (constellation) Pavo is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for peacock. It is one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 in... |
| Persia | 波斯 | 11 | Indus Indus (constellation) Indus is a constellation in the southern sky. Created in the sixteenth century, it represents an Indian, a word that could refer at the time to any native of Asia or the Americas.-Notable features:... / Telescopium Telescopium Telescopium is a minor southern constellation created in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, a French astronomer and student of the southern skies. Its name is a Latinized form of the Greek word for telescope.... |
| Snake's Tail | 蛇尾 | 4 | Octans Octans Octans is a faint constellation the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the eighth part of a circle, but it is named after the octant, a navigational instrument. The constellation was devised by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the eighteenth century.... / Hydrus Hydrus Hydrus is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name means "male water snake", and it should not be confused with Hydra, a much larger constellation which represents a female water snake.-History:... |
| Snake's Abdomen | 蛇腹 | 4 | Hydrus Hydrus Hydrus is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name means "male water snake", and it should not be confused with Hydra, a much larger constellation which represents a female water snake.-History:... |
| Snake's Head | 蛇首 | 2 | Hydrus Hydrus Hydrus is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name means "male water snake", and it should not be confused with Hydra, a much larger constellation which represents a female water snake.-History:... / Reticulum Reticulum Reticulum is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a small net, or reticle—a net of crosshairs at the focus of a telescope eyepiece that is used to measure star positions... |
| Bird's Beak | 鳥喙 | 7 | Tucana Tucana Tucana is a constellation in the southern sky, created in the late sixteenth century. Its name is Latin for the toucan, a South American bird.-History:... |
| Crane | 鶴 | 12 | 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... / Tucana Tucana Tucana is a constellation in the southern sky, created in the late sixteenth century. Its name is Latin for the toucan, a South American bird.-History:... |
| Firebird | 火鳥 | 10 | Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... / Sculptor Sculptor (constellation) Sculptor is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. It represents a sculptor. It was introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. He originally named it Apparatus Sculptoris , but the name was later shortened.-Notable features:No stars brighter than 3rd magnitude are... |
| Crooked Running Water | 水委 | 3 | Eridanus Eridanus (constellation) Eridanus is a constellation. It is represented as a river; its name is the Ancient Greek name for the Po River. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is the sixth largest of the modern... / Phoenix Phoenix (constellation) Phoenix is a minor constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0... |
| White Patched Nearby | 附白 | 2 | Hydrus Hydrus Hydrus is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name means "male water snake", and it should not be confused with Hydra, a much larger constellation which represents a female water snake.-History:... |
| White Patches Attached | 夾白 | 2 | Reticulum Reticulum Reticulum is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a small net, or reticle—a net of crosshairs at the focus of a telescope eyepiece that is used to measure star positions... / Dorado Dorado Dorado is a constellation in the southern sky. It was created in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish , which is known as dorado in Spanish, although it has also been depicted as a swordfish... |
| Goldfish | 金魚 | 5 | Dorado Dorado Dorado is a constellation in the southern sky. It was created in the late 16th century and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. Its name refers to the dolphinfish , which is known as dorado in Spanish, although it has also been depicted as a swordfish... |
| Sea Rock | 海石 | 5 | Carina Carina (constellation) Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:... |
| Flying Fish | 飛魚 | 6 | Volans Volans Volans is a constellation in the southern sky. It represents a flying fish; its name is a shortened form of its original name, Piscis Volans... |
| Southern Boat | 南船 | 5 | Carina Carina (constellation) Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:... |
| Little Dipper | 小斗 | 9 | Chamaeleon Chamaeleon Chamaeleon is a small constellation in the southern sky. It is named after the chameleon, a form of lizard. It was first defined in the sixteenth century.-History:... |
Chinese Star Designation
Ancient Chinese astronomers designated names to the visible stars systematically, roughly more than one thousand years before Johann BayerJohann Bayer
Johann Bayer was a German lawyer and uranographer . He was born in Rain, Bavaria, in 1572. He began his study of philosophy in Ingolstadt in 1592, and moved later to Augsburg to begin work as a lawyer. He grew interested in astronomy during his time in Augsburg...
did it in a similar way. Basically, every star is assigned to an asterism. Then a number is given to the individual stars in this asterism. Therefore, a star is designated as "Asterism name" + "Number". The numbering of the stars in an asterism, however, is not based on the apparent magnitude of this star as the Bayer
Bayer designation
A Bayer designation is a stellar designation in which a specific star is identified by a Greek letter, followed by the genitive form of its parent constellation's Latin name...
system usually is, but rather its position in the asterism. (The Bayer system does use this Chinese method sometimes, most notably with the stars in the Big Dipper
Big Dipper
The Plough, also known as the Big Dipper or the Saptarishi , is an asterism of seven stars that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial...
, which are all about the same magnitude.)
For example, Altair is named 河鼓二 in Chinese. 河鼓 is the name of the asterism (literally the Drum at the River). 二 is the number designation (two). Therefore it literally means "the Second Star of the Drum at the River". (Bayer might have called Altair "Beta Tympani Flumine" if he had been cataloguing Chinese constellations.)
Some stars also have traditional names, often related to mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
or astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
. For example, Altair is more commonly known as 牛郎星 or 牵牛星 (the Star of the Cowherd) in Chinese, after the mythological story of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
These designations are still used in modern Chinese astronomy. All stars for which the traditional names are used in English are routinely translated by their traditional Chinese designations, rather than translations of their catalogue names.
See also
- Four Symbols (Chinese constellation)Four Symbols (Chinese constellation)The Four Symbols are four mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations. They are:*Azure Dragon of the East *Vermilion Bird of the South *White Tiger of the West *Black Tortoise of the North...
- lunar mansionLunar mansionA lunar mansion is a segment of the ecliptic through which the moon moves in its orbit around the earth, often used by ancient cultures as part of their calendar system...
- Five elements (Chinese)
- NakshatraNakshatraNakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic...
- Traditional Chinese star namesTraditional Chinese star namesTraditional Chinese star names are the names of stars used in ancient Chinese literature, history, religion, mythology, folklore, Chinese opera and such methods of divination as astrology, horoscope and Feng shui...
- Chinese star mapsChinese star mapsChinese star maps are usually directional or graphical representations of Chinese astronomical alignments. Throughout the history of China, numerous star maps have been recorded. This page is intended to list or show the best available version of each star map. Star catalogues are also listed...
Further reading
- Book of JinBook of JinThe Book of Jin is one of the official Chinese historical works. It covers the history of Jin Dynasty from 265 to 420, which written by a number of officials commissioned by the court of Tang Dynasty, with the lead editor being the Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, drawing mostly from the official...
, volume 11–13 (晉書·天文志) - HuainanziHuainanziThe Huáinánzǐ is a 2nd century BCE Chinese philosophical classic from the Han dynasty that blends Daoist, Confucianist, and Legalist concepts, including theories such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases. It was written under the patronage of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, a legendarily prodigious author...
, volume 3 (淮南子·天文訓)