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The name derives from the Arabic: Al Mintakah meaning "The Belt". The name is appropriate to the star's position as the westernmost star of Orion's belt. With this position the star is the first star of the belt to be seen as Orion rises.
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delta Ori, Mintaka (arab.: upper end of the girdle), a blue-white star of 2.2 mag with a 7th mag companion. iota Ori, a 3rd mag and a 7th mag star forming an unequal double; in the same field the wider double ...
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Orion's belt, Mintaka at right, Alnilam in the center, and Alnitak at left, runs through the middle of the picture.
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85 Mintaka [Mentaka, Mintika]: minţaqa[h] Belt (west end) * (46/& epsilon; Ori) 1.69 Alnilam [Alnihan, Alnitam]: an-niz̧ām The arrangement [of pearls] * (50/ζ Ori) - double 1.74, 4.21 Alnitak [ Alnitah]: ...
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The constellation's main feature is of course the three stars which form the "belt" across the middle of Orion: from west to east Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak. Even the Bible makes reference to this famous group.
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Mintaka and Alnitak were "pata" - a word that means "to restrain" - that held the thief down. Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel, and Saiph were four vultures sent to punish the thief by circling around him forever.
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See also: Star, Orion, Sky, Second, Constellation
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