Alpha Centauri system
α Centauri | |
---|---|
Location | Solar Sector, Orion Arm |
Affiliation | Independent |
Star(s) | |
Stellar type | G0V (Rigel) K0V (Toliman) |
Planets | 14
Toliman – 6
|
Population | 2,133,840,000 |
Government | Confederation of Vajah Rigel Republic United Trilunar Republics Centaurus Colonies of Toliman |
Etymology
The name α Centauri (Latinised to Alpha Centauri) is the system's Bayer designation, being the brightest star in the constellation Centaurus. The common name of α Centauri A, Rigel, comes from Rigil Kentaurus, a Latinisation of the Arabic translation رجل القنطورس Rijl al-Qinṭūrus, meaning "the Foot of the Centaur". Before the interstellar age, this name was more commonly known for the star Rigel (β Orionis).
The name of α Centauri B, Toliman, is an approximation of the Arabic الظليمان aẓ-Ẓalīmān (in older transcription, aṭ-Ṭhalīmān), meaning 'the (two male) Ostriches', an appellation Zakariya al-Qazwini had applied to the pair of stars Lambda and Mu Sagittarii.