emamajek on 03-Feb-2016 01:48:14 GMT about * ksi Gem
Xi Gem (HR 2484) is known by the proper name "Alzirr" in the Bright Star Catalog and this name (or variants) can be found in other astronomical references:
(1) Al Biruni (11th century) "The Chronology of Ancient Nations: An English Version of the Arabic Text of the Athar-ul-bakiya of Albiruni, or Vestiges of the Past, Collected and Reduced to Writing by the Author in A.H. 390--1, A.D. 1000." translated and edited, with notes and index, by Dr. C. Edward Sachau (1879, William H. Allen and Co., London) https://archive.org/stream/chronologyancie00sachgoog#page/n360/mode/2up ["Zirr (button)"]
(2) Richard Hinckley Allen (1899) "Star-names and their meanings" (G.E. Stechert, New York) ["Al Zirr"]
(3) Jack W. Rhoads (1971) "Technical Memorandum 33-507: A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars", Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA ["Al Zirr"]
(4) Dorris Hoffleit & Carlos Jaschek (1991) "The Bright Star Catalogue" (5th edition; Yale University Observatory, New Haven, CT, USA) ["Alzirr"]
(5) P. Moore (2006) "The Amateur Astronomer" (12th edition, Springer) ["Alzirr"]
(6) Jim Kaler's online notes http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/alzirr.html ["Al Zirr" or "Alzirr"]
(7) E. Anderson E. & C. Francis (2012, Astron. Letters, 38, 331) "XHIP: An Extended Hipparcos Compilation" (2012AstL...38..331A) ["Alzirr"]
The name appears to have come into modern use in the late 19th century due to Sachau's translations of the works of Al Biruni (which Allen included in his book on star names). I have not seen the name in any European or American works before Sachau (1879). In Al Biruni's description of the lunar mansion (zodiacal asterism) "Alhan'a" (comprised of the stars gam and xi Gem; as translated by Sachau 1879) mentions that the two stars are called "Zirr (button), the other Maisan (walking along proudly); they stand on the foot of the second twin." Alhena is the modern name of gam Gem, and Allen (1899) mentions "Al Maisan" as one of its aliases, with a description identical to Al Biruni's. Allen (1899) refers to xi Gem as "Al Zirr", the other star of Al Biruni's Alhan'a pair. The Bright Star Catalog (1991, 5th edition) adopted the spelling "Alzirr", which appears to be the spelling in most common use.
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