Mebsuta

Gemini · ε Gem · HR 2473

HIP32246
Visual magnitude3.06
Right ascension (J2000)100.983°
Declination (J2000)25.1311°
WDS J06439+2508
IAU adoption2016/07/20

Name origin

From an abbreviation of the ind-A asterism name dhira' al-asad almabsuta, "the Lion's Outstretched Paw," for one of the two pairs α/β Gem or α/β CMi. These pairs were assigned to the larger ind-A asterism al-asad, but there is no unanimity in the Arabic sources as to which pair was the "outstretched" or "folded" paw. "Mebsuta" was arbitrarily applied as a star name to ε Gem in recent times. In its indigenous location stretching from parts of Gemini all the way into Virgo, the ind-A al-asad, "the Lion," corresponded to what in other cultures was Leo among the zodiacal signs. Subsequently the sci-Arabs used the indigenous name for the smaller Greek Lion (Leo).

Alternative names

  • No alternative names yet.