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). Following this theme, all of the planets in the Rigel system are named after names of body parts in Arabic.
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.