The constellation of Pegasus, the Winged Horse // E. Slawik/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani
Click below to read about this famous constellation, some of the named stars here, as well as an annotated image!
Pegasus, named after the winged horse from Greek mythology, is one of the original 48 constellations set down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It is easily recognizable thanks to the square shape four of its brightest stars form.
In Greek mythology, Pegasus was born from the head of Medusa, after Perseus cut it off. He was said to have magical powers: his hooves dug out a spring, Hippocrene, that blessed those who drank its water with the ability to write poetry.
In order of brightness, the named stars are:
Enif (ε Pegasi), a solitary orange supergiant star about 690 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word meaning "nose" since it marks the muzzle of Pegasus.
Scheat (β Pegasi) is a solitary red giant star about 196 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word Al Sā'id meaning "the upper arm," marking its position in Pegasus. It is the upper right corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.
Markab (α Pegasi) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 133 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word markab meaning "the saddle of the horse." It is the lower right corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.
Algenib (γ Pegasi) is a binary star system about 470 light years away. The primary star is a blue giant star. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-janb meaning "the side." It marks the lower left corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.
Matar (η Pegasi) is a binary star consisting of a yellow giant and a yellow-white giant star. The system lies about 214 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic phrase Saʽd al Maṭar meaning "lucky star of rain."
Homam (ζ Pegasi) is a solitary blue giant star about 204 light years away. Its name comes the Arabic phrase sa'd al-humam meaning "the lucky star of the hero."
Sadalbari (μ Pegasi) is a solitary yellow giant star about 113 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase saʿd al-bāriʿ meaning "the lucky star of the splendid one."
Biham (θ Pegasi) is a binary star system consisting of a blue-white giant and a red dwarf star. The system lies about 92 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase s'ad al Biham meaning "the lucky stars of the young beasts."
Alkarab (υ Pegasi) is a solitary yellow giant star about 170 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word Al Karab meaning "the bucket-rope."
Salm (τ Pegasi) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 162 light years away.
Helvetios (51 Pegasi) is a Sun-like star about 51 light years away. It was the first Sun-like star found to have an exoplanet orbiting it, named Dimidium. Both names come from the people of Switzerland: "Helvetios" is the Latin word for the Celtic tribe that lived in Switzerland, and "Dimidium" is Latin for "half", since this planet has half the mass of Jupiter.
Solaris (BD+14 4559) is a red dwarf star about 161 light years from Earth. It has a single confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, named Pirx. Both names were given by the people of Poland: "Solaris" refers to a 1961 sci-fi novel written by Stanisław Lem, and "Pirx" refers to the character "Pilot Pirx" in Stanisław Lem's novels.
Tangra (WASP-21) is a Sun-like star about 834 light years away. It has a single exoplanet orbiting it, named Bendida. Both names were given by the people of Bulgaria: "Tangra" is a god of heaven worshiped by early Bulgars, and "Bendida" is a lunar goddess worshiped by the Thracians.
Anadolu (WASP-52) is a red dwarf star about 570 light years from Earth. It has a single confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, named Göktürk. Both names were given by the people of Turkey: "Anadolu" is the Turkish word for Anatolia, and "Göktürk" is a historical group of Turkic people.
Morava (WASP-60) is a yellow-white Sun-like star about 1,400 light years from Earth. It has a single exoplanet orbiting it, named Vlasina. Both names were given by the people of Serbia: "Morava" and "Vlasini" are two rivers in Serbia.