Zubenelgenubi and Elgenubi derive from the Arabic name Al Zuban al Janubiyyah, "The Southern Claw." This name reflects the fact that the stars of Libra once formed the claws of the Scorpion, Scorpius, the next Zodiac constellation to the east.
Zubenelgenubi; Kiffa Australis; Elkhiffa Australis.
Alpha 2 Librae
HR 5531
HD 130841 ...
Zubenelgenubi = Alpha Librae
Zubeneschamali = Beta Librae
Iota Lib = Iota Librae
Zubenhakrabi = Sigma Librae
23 Lib = 23 Librae #
48 Lib = 48 Librae ...
* (α Lib) Zubenelgenubi [Zuben Elgenubi] or Kiffa Australis [Elkhiffa australis] (8/α1 Lib, 9/α2 Lib) - double 5.15, 2.
It lies in the southeast corner (15:13:28.7-25:18:33.6, ICRS 2000.0) of Constellation Libra, the Scales -- southeast of Rho Librae and Zubenelgenubi ("Southern Claw" of the nearby Scorpion, or Alpha(1,2) Librae 3), and southwest of Pi Scorpii.
The two brightest stars, Zubeneschamali and Zubenelgenubi, mean "northern claw" and "southern claw", which indicate they were once the claws of the scorpion. Libra became a separate constellation with the Romans.
Binoculars reveal that it's a double star, with the dimmer one shining above its brighter companion. Zubenelgenubi is thought to be a true binary -- or two stars revolving around a common center of gravity.
Libra's brightest star, second-magnitude Alpha Librae, is called Zubenelgenubi from the Arabic meaning ‘the southern claw', a reminder of the Greek identification of this constellation with the claws of the scorpion.
[5064]-[5048] alpha Librae, also known as Zubenelgenubi ("southern claw") and Kiffa Australis ("southern pan" of the scales), is the second brightest star in the constellation. It is binary star lying about 77 light-years from the Sun.
Alpha Librae is also known as Zubenelgenubi, a derivation of an older Arabic name that translates into "Southern Claw" (i.e. of the Scorpion). The star is a wide binary of unequal stars (see below).
 See also: Constellation, Sun, Libra, Star, Sky
|
