Rukbat

Authors: IAU-WGSN Etymology Group, Roland Laffitte, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula

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Rukbat ( ركبة الرامي) is a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN). Its origin is Arabic. It is the name of HIP 95347 (α Sgr, HR 7348) in constellation Sgr.

Etymology and History

Applied in recent times from an abbreviation of its sci-A name rukbat al-rami, "the Archer's Knee".

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al-Na^cā’im, « les Autruches », et al-Ṣurādān, « les Deux Sourads », les (RL)for Rukbat (CC BY Roland Laffitte 2025).

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Sagittarius with Arabic star names (CC BY Laffitte 2025).

Roland Laffitte (2025):

Introduit sous cette forme moderne au XX^e siècle, ce nom, aujourd’hui proposé par l’UAI, est le premier terme du nom arabe Rukbat al-Rāmī, « le Genou du Sagittaire », dans le ciel que les astronomes arabes ont hérité des Grecs. Ar. Rukbat al-Rāmī, al-Ṣūfī sur l’image, ms. St-Pétersbourg, ‘Rucba AlRâmî, Hyde, Allen > Rukbat, Rumrill, fr. : Benhamouda, Rhoads, etc., Simbad, UAI.

AUTRE NOM : 1. Rukbat al Rami. Ar. ركبة Rukbat al-Rāmī, « le Genou du Sagittaire ». Lat. très tôt : Racbat aram, Tabl. Toléd., puis ‘Ruchbah er-Râmih’, Lach > Ruchbah er-Râmih, Bode, puis Bloxam & Hall, Burritt ; Rukbah ur Rami, Hoffleit, Rukbat al Rami, Nit. 01. 2. Alrami. C’est الرامي al-Rāmī, le nom de la constellation, ‘AlRâmî’, Hyde, ou alors le 2^nd terme de Rukbat al-Rāmī, d’où Al Rami, Piazzi, Alrami, Littrow, fr. : Tempesti (1983). Hoffleit, Nit. 01.

English

Introduced in this modern form in the 20th century, this name—now proposed by the IAU—is the first part of the Arabic name Rukbat al-Rāmī, “the Knee of Sagittarius,” in the sky that Arab astronomers inherited from the Greeks. Arabic: Rukbat al-Rāmī; al-Ṣūfī pictured; manuscript in St. Petersburg; ‘Rucba AlRâmî’; Hyde, Allen > Rukbat; Rumrill; French: Benhamouda, Rhoads, etc.; Simbad; IAU.

ALTERNATIVE NAME: 1. Rukbat al-Rami. Arabic: ركبة Rukbat al-Rāmī, “the Knee of Sagittarius.” Very early Latin: Racbat aram, Toledo Table, then ‘Ruchbah er-Râmih’, Lach > Ruchbah er-Râmih, Bode, then Bloxam & Hall, Burritt; Rukbah ur Rami, Hoffleit, Rukbat al Rami, Nit. 01. 2. Alrami. This is الرامي al-Rāmī, the name of the constellation, ‘AlRâmî’, Hyde, or the second term of Rukbat al-Rāmī, hence Al Rami, Piazzi, Alrami, Littrow, French: Tempesti (1983). Hoffleit, Nit. 01.

IAU Working Group on Star Names

The name was adopted by the IAU WGSN on 2016/07/20.

Weblinks

• Website of the IAU WGSN: https://exopla.net/

Reference

• References (general)
• Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub.