Wurren

Phoenix · Phe · ζ Phe · HR 338 · HIP 5348

Wurren is the Wardaman name of ζ Phe, from the Northern Territory, Australia. Wurren means “child” and refers to the “Little Fish”, a child of Dungdung – the life-creating Frog Lady. Wurren gives water to Gawalyan, the …

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Astronomy

Official IAU information

Designation

HR 338

HIP

5348

Bayer ID

ζ Phe

IAU adoption

2017/11/17

Name origin

Wurren is the Wardaman name of ζ Phe, from the Northern Territory, Australia. Wurren means “child” and refers to the “Little Fish”, a child of Dungdung – the life-creating Frog Lady. Wurren gives water to Gawalyan, the echidna (Achernar), which they direct Earthly initiates to carry in small bowls. The water came from a great waterfall used to cool the people during the ceremony. Just as the water at the base of the waterfall keeps people cool and rises to the sky as mist, the water in the initiates’ bowls keeps them cool and symbolically transforms into clouds that bring the wet rains of the monsoon season. These ceremonies occur in late December when the weather is hot and these stars are high in the evening sky, signalling the start of the monsoon.

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