#quintuple star

Capricornus, which is Latin for "horned goat," is one of the original 48 constellations laid down by the Greek astronomy Ptolemy. Although its name makes no reference to a "sea goat," it has consistently been represented as a sea goat throughout time. The Babylonians saw Capricornus as a hybrid of a goat and a fish symbolizing their god Ea.

In Greek Mythology, the constellation is identified as Amalthea, the goat that suckled the infant Zeus after his mother Rhea saved him from being eaten by his father, Cronus. It could also be Pan, who saved himself from the monster Typhon by giving himself a fish's tail and diving into a nearby river.

In order of brightness, the named stars are:

Deneb Algedi (δ Capricorni), a binary star system about 39 light years from Earth. The two components are both blue-white giant stars. Its name comes from the Arabic ðanab al-jady meaning "the tail of the goat," marking its place in Capricornus.

Dabih (β Capricorni) is a multiple star system about 390 light years away. It consists of five stars, one of which is an orange supergiant, while at least two others are blue giant stars. The name comes from the Arabic al-dhābiḥ meaning "the butcher."

Algedi (α Capricorni) is a triple star system about 102 light years away. The primary star is a yellow giant star. The name comes from the Arabic al-jadii meaning "the goat."

Nashira (γ Capricorni) is a solitary yellow-white giant star about 171 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic sa'd nashirah meaning "the lucky one."

Sagittarius, which is Latin for "archer," is one of the original 48 constellations set down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy. The brightest stars form an asterism known as "the Teapot." However, in older drawings, the teapot area is usually drawn as the bow and arrow.

In most mythologies, Sagittarius is seen as a centaur and archer. The Babylonians saw Sagittarius as the centaur, the god Nergal. However, Nergal has wings and two heads, one a panther head, the other a human head. In Greek mythology, Sagittarius is still a centaur in the true meaning of the word: half horse, half man. Some myths see him specifically as Chiron, the wisest of all the centaurs.

The named stars, in order of brightness are:

Kaus Australis (ε Sagittarii) is a binary star system about 143 light years away. The primary is a blue giant star. The name is a portmanteau of the Arabic qaws meaning "bow", and the Latin austrālis meaning "southern."

Nunki (σ Sagittarii) is a binary star system about 225 light years away, with the primary being a blue giant. The name is an Assyrian or Babylonian name, and was the star of the city Eridu.

Ascella (ζ Sagittarii) is a triple star system about 88 light years away. The primary star is a blue-white giant star. The name is a Late Latin word meaning "armpit."

Kaus Media (δ Sagittarii) is a solitary orange giant star about 348 light years away. The name, like Kaus Australis before it, is a portmanteau of the Arabic qaws meaning "bow", and the Latin media meaning "middle."

Kaus Borealis (λ Sagittarii) is a solitary orange giant star about 78 light years away. The name, like Kaus Media and Kaus Australis before it, is a portmanteau of the Arabic qaws meaning "bow" and the Latin boreālis meaning "northern."

Albaldah (π Sagittarii) is a triple star system about 520 light years away. The primary star is a yellow-white supergiant. The name comes from the Arabic bálda meaning "the town."

Alnasl (γ Sagittarii) is a solitary orange giant star about 106 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic Zujj al-Nashshaba meaning "arrowhead."

Polis (μ Sagittarii) is a quintuple star system about 5,100 light years away. This is a quintuple system of nothing but blue giant stars. The name comes from the Greek word polis meaning "city."

Arkab Prior (β¹ Sagittarii) is a binary star system about 310 light years away. The system consists of two blue giant stars. The name comes from a portmanteau of the Arabic 'urqub al-rami meaning "the archer's achilles tendon" and the Latin prior meaning "above."

Rukbat (α Sagittarii) is a solitary blue giant star about 182 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic rukbat al-rāmī meaning "the knee of the archer."

Arkab Posterior (β² Sagittarii) is a solitary yellow-white giant star about 134 light years away. Its name comes from a portmanteau of the Arabic 'urqub al-rami meaning "the archer's achilles tendon" and the Latin posterior meaning "below."

Pisces, who's name is Latin for "fishes", is one of the original 48 constellations set down by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy.

In Greek mythology, it is associated with the legend that Aphrodite and her son Eros fled from the monster Typhon. They jumped into the Euphrates river and transformed into fish, joined by a cord so they would not be separated.

Although Pisces is a large constellation, there are only two moderately bright stars here, making it the second dimmest of the Zodiac constellations.

In order of brightness, the named stars are:

Alpherg (η Piscium), a binary star about 350 light years away. The primary star is a yellow giant. Its name comes from an Arabic word meaning "the emptying." Maybe.

Torcular (o Piscium) is another binary star about 280 light years away. The primary is an orange giant star. Its name is a shortened form of the Latin phrase Torcularis septentrionalis meaning "the northern wine press." ???

Alrescha (α Piscium) is a triple star system about 157 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic word ar-Rishā’ meaning "the cord."

Fumalsamakah (β Piscium) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 410 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase fum al-samakah meaning "mouth of the fish."

Cancer, which is Latin for "crab", is one of the twelve zodiac constellations and is a rather faint constellation. It was first recorded by Greek astronomer Ptolemy. In Greek mythology, Cancer represents the crab that appeared when Heracles fought the Hydra. This crab appeared and bit Heracles in the foot, after which it was slain.

Despite its faintness, it was historically an important constellation. The close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 1563 occurred in Cancer, and caused Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe to start a program of accurate planetary measurements. This led to astronomers overturning the idea that planets orbited the Sun on perfect circles. Cancer was also the spot of the summer solstice in ancient times. The northernmost line of latitude is still called the Tropic of Cancer today, even though the position of the summer solstice has moved into Taurus.

The named stars, in order of brightness, are:

Tarf (β Cancri), an orange giant star about 303 light years away. It has one planet, about 8 times the mass of Jupiter, orbiting it. Its name comes from the Arabic word Al Tarf meaning "end" or "edge."

Asellus Australis (δ Cancri) is another orange giant star, this one about 137 light years away. Its name is Latin meaning "southern donkey."

Yuyu (ι Cancri) is a double star, likely gravitationally related. One star is a yellow giant star, the other is a blue-white giant, both about 340 light years away. The name comes from the Javanese word hayuyu meaning "freshwater crab."

Acubens (α Cancri) is a binary star system about 178 light years away. The primary star is a blue-white giant star. The name comes from the Arabic al zubanāh meaning "the claws."

Asellus Borealis (γ Cancri) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 175 light years away. Just like its sibling, its name is Latin for "northern donkey."

Tegmine (ζ Cancri) is a quintuple star system about 82 light years away. It consists of several yellow-white Sun-like stars. Its name is the Latin word meaning "the shell."

Nahn (ξ Cancri) is a binary star about 410 light years away. The primary star is a yellow giant star. The name comes from the Persian word nahn meaning "the nose."

Piautos (λ Cancri) is a binary star about 569 light years away, with the primary being a blue giant star. The name comes from the Greek portmanteau of autos meaning "self" and pi- meaning "that." Together, the star's name roughly translates as "the same, the very one."

Copernicus (ρ¹ Cancri) is a binary star system about 41 light years away, consisting of two red dwarf stars. It is named after the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who proposed the heliocentric (sun-centered) model of the solar system. It has four planets orbiting it, all named after other astronomers (Galileo, [Tycho] Brahe) and telescope pioneers ([Hans] Lipperhey and [Zacharias] Janssen).