223:, from brightest to dimmest. The order is not necessarily a precise labeling from brightest to dimmest: in Bayer's day stellar brightness could not be measured precisely. Instead, stars were traditionally assigned to one of six magnitude classes (the brightest to first magnitude, the dimmest to sixth), and Bayer typically ordered stars within a constellation by class: all the first-magnitude stars (in some order), followed by all the second-magnitude stars, and so on. Within each magnitude class, Bayer made no attempt to arrange stars by relative brightness. As a result, the brightest star in each class did not always get listed first in Bayer's order—and the brightest star overall did not necessarily get the designation "Alpha". A good example is the constellation
327:
20:
311:, the two 1st-magnitude stars (those of magnitude 1.5 or less), as Alpha and Beta from north to south, with Betelgeuse (the shoulder) coming ahead of Rigel (the foot), even though the latter is usually the brighter. (Betelgeuse is a variable star and can at its maximum occasionally outshine Rigel.) Bayer then repeated the procedure for the stars of the 2nd magnitude, labeling them from
238:
In addition, Bayer did not always follow the magnitude class rule; he sometimes assigned letters to stars according to their location within a constellation, or the order of their rising, or to historical or mythological details. Occasionally the order looks quite arbitrary.
123:
Bayer used Greek letters for the brighter stars, but the Greek alphabet has only twenty-four letters, while a single constellation may contain fifty or more stars visible to the naked eye. When the Greek letters ran out, Bayer continued with Latin letters: uppercase
654:(IAU) assigned definite boundaries to the constellations in 1930, it declared that stars and other celestial objects can belong to only one constellation. Consequently, the redundant second designation in each pair above has dropped out of use.
688:
Other cases of multiple Bayer designations arose when stars named by Bayer in one constellation were transferred by later astronomers to a different constellation. Bayer's Gamma and
Omicron Scorpii, for example, were later reassigned from
534:) for "fixed stars", he did use them to label other items shown on his charts, such as neighboring constellations, "temporary stars", miscellaneous astronomical objects, or reference lines like the Tropic of Cancer. In
211:. Lacaille assigned uppercase letters between R and Z in several constellations, but these have either been dropped to allow the assignment of those letters to variable stars or have actually turned out to be variable.
242:
Of the 88 modern constellations, there are at least 30 in which Alpha is not the brightest star, and four of those lack a star labeled "Alpha" altogether. The constellations with no Alpha-designated star include
558:), another "temporary star", appears as B Cassiopeiae. In charts for constellations that did not exhaust the Greek letters, Bayer sometimes used the leftover Greek letters for miscellaneous labels as well.
709:
was not named by Bayer but was assigned the designation o
Scorpii (Latin lowercase 'o') by Lacaille—which later astronomers misinterpreted as omicron once Bayer's omicron had been reassigned to Libra.)
63:
form of its parent constellation's Latin name. The original list of Bayer designations contained 1,564 stars. The brighter stars were assigned their first systematic names by the German
550:
as miscellaneous labels, mostly for neighboring constellations. Bayer did not intend such labels as catalog designations, but some have survived to refer to astronomical objects:
728:
A further complication is the use of numeric superscripts to distinguish neighboring stars that Bayer (or a later astronomer) labeled with a common letter. Usually these are
96:(alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ), etc.) or a Latin letter (A, b, c, etc.) to each star he catalogued, combined with the Latin name of the star's parent constellation in
179:. Lacaille followed Bayer's use of Greek letters, but this was insufficient for many constellations. He used first the lowercase letters, starting with
713:
A few stars no longer lie (according to the modern constellation boundaries) within the constellation for which they are named. The
845:
187:, thus deviating somewhat from Bayer's practice. Lacaille used the Latin alphabet three times over in the large constellation
1107:
1027:
881:
1123:
Hirshfeld, A.; et al. (August 1992). "Book-Review - Sky
Catalogue 2000.0 - V.1 - Stars to Magnitude 8.0 ED.2".
1195:
651:
100:(possessive) form. The constellation name is frequently abbreviated to a standard three-letter form. For example,
219:
In most constellations, Bayer assigned Greek and Latin letters to stars within a constellation in rough order of
1063:
940:
906:
840:
76:. Bayer catalogued only a few stars too far south to be seen from Germany, but later astronomers (including
203:. That was still insufficient for the number of stars, so he also used uppercase Latin letters such as
850:
574:
77:
1162:
622:
610:
163:). However, a number of stars in southern constellations have uppercase letter designations, like
830:
578:
224:
1200:
590:
586:
535:
260:
192:
105:
81:
1097:
871:
820:
763:. The most stars given the same Bayer designation but with an extra number attached to it is
694:
647:
330:
300:
264:
24:
956:
1132:
981:
808:
244:
200:
625:). Bayer assigned the first three of these stars a Greek letter from both constellations:
8:
44:
1136:
985:
997:
220:
1103:
1059:
1023:
1001:
936:
902:
877:
825:
685:). He corrected these in a later atlas, and the duplicate names were no longer used.
288:
989:
627:
618:
1080:
1017:
930:
706:
28:
1166:
for a list of the genitive forms and the constellations' standard abbreviations.
1176:
1078:
993:
835:
702:
93:
52:
1189:
961:
H.L. Guerin & L.F. Delatour. 1763. pp. 7ff – via Google Books.
873:
The Manual of
Scientific Style: A Guide for Authors, Editors, and Researchers
714:
280:
232:
228:
97:
60:
602:
598:
569:
designated four stars as "border stars", each shared by two constellations:
554:
for example is still used as a designation for Nova Cyg 1600. Tycho's Star (
171:. These letters were assigned by later astronomers, notably Lacaille in his
807:, although according to the modern IAU constellation boundaries, ψ lies in
800:
796:
792:
788:
784:
780:
776:
772:
768:
698:
67:
32:
972:
Swerdlow, N. M. (August 1986). "A Star
Catalogue Used by Johannes Bayer".
641:
594:
508:
492:
477:
461:
445:
429:
413:
397:
381:
365:
326:
19:
764:
757:
753:
749:
745:
741:
737:
733:
729:
718:
678:
674:
151:
Bayer did not label "permanent" stars with uppercase letters (except for
84:) supplemented Bayer's catalog with entries for southern constellations.
72:
760:
669:
659:
634:
304:
252:
188:
64:
191:, once for each of the three areas that are now the constellations of
804:
722:
614:
570:
284:
276:
272:
168:
164:
101:
606:
690:
268:
259:, the former α Argus, is now α Carinae in the modern constellation
208:
204:
255:, whose Greek-letter stars were split among three constellations.
566:
555:
551:
256:
869:
1122:
582:
248:
196:
319:
in "top-down" (north-to-south) order. Letters as far as Latin
308:
56:
736:), but there are some exceptions such as the chain of stars
530:
Although Bayer did not use uppercase Latin letters (except
48:
1079:
Eugène
Delporte; International Astronomical Union (1930).
1102:. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 132–.
148:
was included), for a total of another 24 letters.
35:
region, with both Greek and Latin letter labels visible
657:
Bayer assigned two stars duplicate names by mistake:
183:, and if needed the uppercase letters, starting with
1125:
870:Rabinowitz, Harold; Vogel, Suzanne (12 June 2009).
721:, for example, carried it across the boundary into
705:. (To add to the confusion, the star now known as
339:Bayer's brightest three classes of stars in Orion
1187:
1099:The Observer's Year: 366 Nights of the Universe
538:, for example, Bayer's fixed stars run through
525:
1095:
1015:
1082:Délimitation scientifique des constellations
323:were used for stars of the sixth magnitude.
1049:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1041:
1039:
965:
279:respectively, leaving Norma with no Alpha.
214:
231:is Beta Geminorum and the slightly dimmer
1116:
920:
918:
732:(mostly optical doubles rather than true
646:. (He catalogued Fomalhaut only once, as
1036:
971:
325:
291:would have been the obvious candidate.)
18:
1175:The letters of the Greek alphabet were
924:
561:
1188:
1053:
915:
846:Table of stars with Bayer designations
294:
1089:
896:
287:, so it also has no Alpha. (The star
1072:
974:Journal for the History of Astronomy
958:Coelum australe stelliferum ...
283:died before designating an Alpha in
120:), which means "Alpha of the Bull".
13:
542:, and on this chart Bayer employs
267:Alpha and Beta were reassigned to
14:
1212:
652:International Astronomical Union
1169:
1154:
1096:Patrick Moore (29 June 2013).
1009:
949:
925:Ridpath, Ian (1989). "Bayer's
890:
863:
841:Stellar designations and names
1:
1179:, however in a different way.
1177:used in antiquity as numerals
856:
876:. Elsevier. pp. 363ff.
526:Bayer's miscellaneous labels
23:Detail of Bayer's chart for
7:
1058:. McDonald & Woodward.
814:
173:Coelum Australe Stelliferum
155:, which he used instead of
92:Bayer assigned a lowercase
70:in 1603, in his star atlas
10:
1217:
1085:. At the University press.
994:10.1177/002182868601700304
851:Variable star designation
303:, Bayer first designated
108:(the Bull) is designated
87:
78:Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille
1163:88 modern constellations
1147:
697:and given the new names
215:Order by magnitude class
159:to avoid confusion with
128:, followed by lowercase
1196:Astronomical catalogues
1054:Wagman, Morton (2003).
901:. Archival Facsimiles.
831:Lists of constellations
251:—both formerly part of
59:letter followed by the
1016:Patrick Moore (1996).
897:Bayer, Johann (1987).
334:
82:Benjamin Apthorp Gould
36:
935:. Lutterworth Press.
821:Flamsteed designation
648:Alpha Piscis Austrini
329:
177:Uranometria Argentina
104:in the constellation
22:
929:and Bayer letters".
562:Revised designations
235:is Alpha Geminorum.
47:in which a specific
1137:1992JRASC..86..221L
986:1986JHA....17..189S
341:
295:Orion as an example
221:apparent brightness
51:is identified by a
45:stellar designation
337:
335:
271:and re-designated
37:
16:Star naming system
1109:978-1-4471-3613-2
1029:978-0-304-34903-6
883:978-0-08-055796-0
826:Gould designation
681:) (duplicated as
523:
522:
333:constellation map
289:46 Leonis Minoris
175:and Gould in his
41:Bayer designation
1208:
1180:
1173:
1167:
1160:See the article
1158:
1141:
1140:
1120:
1114:
1113:
1093:
1087:
1086:
1076:
1070:
1069:
1051:
1034:
1033:
1013:
1007:
1005:
969:
963:
962:
953:
947:
946:
922:
913:
912:
894:
888:
887:
867:
684:
672:
666:
662:
645:
638:
631:
628:Alpha Andromedae
619:Piscis Austrinus
342:
340:
336:
1216:
1215:
1211:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1186:
1185:
1184:
1183:
1174:
1170:
1159:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1144:
1121:
1117:
1110:
1094:
1090:
1077:
1073:
1066:
1052:
1037:
1030:
1019:Brilliant Stars
1014:
1010:
980:(50): 189–197.
970:
966:
955:
954:
950:
943:
923:
916:
909:
895:
891:
884:
868:
864:
859:
817:
707:Omicron Scorpii
682:
668:
664:
663:(duplicated as
658:
640:
637:= Gamma Aurigae
633:
626:
564:
528:
487:(Orion nebula)
359:
354:
346:
338:
297:
217:
90:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1214:
1204:
1203:
1198:
1182:
1181:
1168:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1115:
1108:
1088:
1071:
1064:
1035:
1028:
1008:
964:
948:
941:
914:
907:
889:
882:
861:
860:
858:
855:
854:
853:
848:
843:
838:
836:Star catalogue
833:
828:
823:
816:
813:
703:Upsilon Librae
644:= Psi Herculis
630:= Delta Pegasi
563:
560:
527:
524:
521:
520:
517:
514:
511:
505:
504:
501:
498:
495:
489:
488:
485:
483:
480:
474:
473:
470:
467:
464:
458:
457:
454:
451:
448:
442:
441:
438:
435:
432:
426:
425:
422:
419:
416:
410:
409:
406:
403:
400:
394:
393:
390:
387:
384:
378:
377:
374:
371:
368:
362:
361:
356:
351:
348:
296:
293:
216:
213:
205:N Velorum
89:
86:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1213:
1202:
1201:Bayer objects
1199:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1178:
1172:
1165:
1164:
1157:
1153:
1138:
1134:
1130:
1126:
1119:
1111:
1105:
1101:
1100:
1092:
1084:
1083:
1075:
1067:
1061:
1057:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1044:
1042:
1040:
1031:
1025:
1021:
1020:
1012:
1003:
999:
995:
991:
987:
983:
979:
975:
968:
960:
959:
952:
944:
938:
934:
933:
928:
921:
919:
910:
904:
900:
893:
885:
879:
875:
874:
866:
862:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
818:
812:
810:
806:
802:
798:
794:
790:
786:
782:
778:
774:
770:
766:
762:
759:
755:
751:
747:
743:
739:
735:
731:
726:
724:
720:
716:
715:proper motion
711:
708:
704:
700:
696:
692:
686:
680:
676:
671:
661:
655:
653:
649:
643:
636:
629:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
596:
592:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
559:
557:
553:
549:
545:
541:
537:
533:
518:
515:
512:
510:
507:
506:
502:
499:
496:
494:
491:
490:
486:
484:
481:
479:
476:
475:
471:
468:
465:
463:
460:
459:
455:
452:
449:
447:
444:
443:
439:
436:
433:
431:
428:
427:
423:
420:
417:
415:
412:
411:
407:
404:
401:
399:
396:
395:
391:
388:
385:
383:
380:
379:
375:
372:
369:
367:
364:
363:
357:
352:
350:Bayer's class
349:
344:
343:
332:
328:
324:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
292:
290:
286:
282:
281:Francis Baily
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
240:
236:
234:
230:
226:
222:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
149:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
121:
119:
116:, pronounced
115:
112:(abbreviated
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
85:
83:
79:
75:
74:
69:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
34:
30:
26:
21:
1171:
1161:
1156:
1128:
1124:
1118:
1098:
1091:
1081:
1074:
1055:
1018:
1011:
977:
973:
967:
957:
951:
931:
926:
898:
892:
872:
865:
734:binary stars
730:double stars
727:
712:
687:
656:
650:.) When the
565:
547:
543:
539:
531:
529:
320:
316:
312:
298:
241:
237:
218:
184:
180:
176:
172:
160:
156:
152:
150:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
122:
117:
113:
110:α Tauri
109:
94:Greek letter
91:
71:
68:Johann Bayer
40:
38:
33:Orion Nebula
27:showing the
1022:. Cassell.
1006:See p. 192.
927:Uranometria
899:Uranometria
765:Psi Aurigae
719:Rho Aquilae
376:Betelgeuse
347:Designation
118:Alpha Tauri
73:Uranometria
1190:Categories
1131:(4): 221.
1065:0939923785
1056:Lost Stars
942:0718826957
932:Star Tales
908:1852970219
857:References
670:Kappa Ceti
660:Xi Arietis
635:Beta Tauri
472:Algjebbah
408:Bellatrix
305:Betelgeuse
253:Argo Navis
189:Argo Navis
165:B Centauri
136:(omitting
114:α Tau
65:astronomer
29:belt stars
1002:118829690
725:in 1992.
723:Delphinus
642:Nu Boötis
615:Fomalhaut
595:Nu Boötis
575:Andromeda
571:Alpheratz
509:κ Orionis
493:ι Orionis
478:θ Orionis
462:η Orionis
446:ζ Orionis
430:ε Orionis
414:δ Orionis
398:γ Orionis
382:β Orionis
366:α Orionis
355:Magnitude
285:Leo Minor
277:H Scorpii
169:G Scorpii
102:Aldebaran
815:See also
691:Scorpius
665:Psi Ceti
623:Aquarius
611:Hercules
546:through
456:Alnitak
440:Alnilam
424:Mintaka
353:Apparent
315:through
269:Scorpius
227:, where
209:Q Puppis
132:through
98:genitive
61:genitive
1133:Bibcode
982:Bibcode
761:Orionis
683:g Tauri
579:Pegasus
567:Ptolemy
556:SN 1572
552:P Cygni
503:Hatysa
450:Second
434:Second
418:Second
402:Second
265:Norma's
257:Canopus
1106:
1062:
1026:
1000:
939:
905:
880:
667:) and
639:, and
613:) and
607:Boötes
591:Auriga
587:Taurus
583:Elnath
536:Cygnus
519:Saiph
513:Third
497:Third
482:Third
466:Third
392:Rigel
386:First
370:First
358:Proper
261:Carina
249:Puppis
233:Castor
229:Pollux
225:Gemini
197:Puppis
193:Carina
144:, but
106:Taurus
88:Scheme
1148:Notes
998:S2CID
699:Sigma
695:Libra
679:Kappa
675:Kappa
605:)(in
516:2.07
500:2.77
469:3.42
453:1.70
437:1.69
421:2.23
405:1.64
389:0.18
373:0.45
360:Name
345:Bayer
331:Orion
313:gamma
309:Rigel
301:Orion
57:Latin
53:Greek
43:is a
25:Orion
1104:ISBN
1060:ISBN
1024:ISBN
937:ISBN
903:ISBN
878:ISBN
809:Lynx
756:and
701:and
677:and
621:and
617:(in
609:and
601:and
589:and
585:(in
577:and
573:(in
317:zeta
307:and
275:and
247:and
245:Vela
207:and
201:Vela
199:and
167:and
140:and
80:and
49:star
31:and
990:doi
811:).
767:. (
717:of
693:to
593:),
581:),
299:In
55:or
1192::
1129:86
1127:.
1038:^
996:.
988:.
978:17
976:.
917:^
803:,
799:,
795:,
791:,
787:,
783:,
779:,
775:,
771:,
752:,
748:,
744:,
740:,
632:,
603:Nu
599:Nu
263:.
195:,
39:A
1139:.
1135::
1112:.
1068:.
1032:.
1004:.
992::
984::
945:.
911:.
886:.
805:ψ
801:ψ
797:ψ
793:ψ
789:ψ
785:ψ
781:ψ
777:ψ
773:ψ
769:ψ
758:π
754:π
750:π
746:π
742:π
738:π
673:(
597:(
548:P
544:H
540:g
532:A
321:p
273:N
185:A
181:a
161:α
157:a
153:A
146:o
142:v
138:j
134:z
130:b
126:A
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