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Popular names of stars
A selection of the most
frequently encountered popular names of stars, with
their Bayer or Flamsteed identifications. Note that
more than one popular name may be applied to some
stars: for example, Alpha Andromedae is known as
Alpheratz and Sirrah, both derived from Arabic. In
addition, alternative spellings of many names may
be encountered in different sources. Astronomers
rarely use the popular names of stars except for a
handful of the most famous ones. Star names marked
with an asterisk (*) are navigation stars and are
listed in The Nautical
Almanac. Read also my
“Brief lament” at the foot
of the table.
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Popular name
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Scientific name
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Popular name
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Scientific name
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Acamar*
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Theta Eridani
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Izar
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Epsilon Boötis
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Achernar*
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Alpha Eridani
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Kaus Australis*
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Epsilon Sagittarii
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Acrab
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Beta Scorpii
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Kitalpha
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Alpha Equulei
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Acrux*
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Alpha Crucis
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Kocab or Kochab*
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Beta Ursae Minoris
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Acubens
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Alpha Cancri
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Kornephoros
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Beta Herculis
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Adhara*
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Epsilon Canis Majoris
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Lesath
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Upsilon Scorpii
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Agena
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Beta Centauri
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Maia
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20 Tauri
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Albireo*
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Beta Cygni
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Markab*
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Alpha Pegasi
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Alcor
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80 Ursae Majoris
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Megrez
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Delta Ursae Majoris
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Alcyone*
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Eta Tauri
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Menkalinan*
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Beta Aurigae
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Aldebaran*
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Alpha Tauri
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Menkar*
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Alpha Ceti
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Alderamin*
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Alpha Cephei
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Menkent
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Theta Centauri
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Alfirk
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Beta Cephei
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Merak*
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Beta Ursae Majoris
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Algedi
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Alpha Capricorni
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Merope
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23 Tauri
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Algenib*
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Gamma Pegasi
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Mesarthim or Mesartim
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Gamma Arietis
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Algieba or Algeiba*
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Gamma Leonis
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Miaplacidus*
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Beta Carinae
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Algol*
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Beta Persei
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Mimosa*
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Beta Crucis
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Alhena*
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Gamma Geminorum
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Mintaka
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Delta Orionis
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Alioth*
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Epsilon Ursae Majoris
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Mira
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Omicron Ceti
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Alkaid*
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Eta Ursae Majoris
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Mirach*
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Beta Andromedae
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Alkalurops
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Mu Boötis
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Mirfak* or Mirphak
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Alpha Persei
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Almaak, Almach, or Almak*
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Gamma Andromedae
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Mirzam*
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Beta Canis Majoris
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Alnair or Al
Na’ir*
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Alpha Gruis
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Mizar*
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Zeta Ursae Majoris
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Alnasl
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Gamma Sagittarii
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Mothallah
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Alpha Trianguli
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Alnath
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Beta Tauri
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Muhlifain
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Gamma Centauri
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Alnilam*
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Epsilon Orionis
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Muliphein
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Gamma Canis Majoris
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Alnitak*
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Zeta Orionis
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Naos
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Zeta Puppis
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Alphard*
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Alpha Hydrae
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Nashira
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Gamma Capricorni
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Alphecca* or Alphekka
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Alpha Coronae Borealis
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Nekkar
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Beta Boötis
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Alpheratz*
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Alpha Andromedae
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Nihal
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Beta Leporis
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Alrami
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Alpha Sagittarii
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Nunki*
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Sigma Sagittarii
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Alrescha
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Alpha Piscium
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Peacock*
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Alpha Pavonis
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Alshain
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Beta Aquilae
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Phact*
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Alpha Columbae
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Altair*
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Alpha Aquilae
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Phad or Phecda*
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Gamma Ursae Majoris
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Alya
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Theta Serpentis
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Pherkad
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Gamma Ursae Minoris
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Ankaa*
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Alpha Phoenicis
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Pleione
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28 Tauri
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Antares*
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Alpha Scorpii
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Polaris*
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Alpha Ursae Minoris
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Arcturus*
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Alpha Boötis
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Pollux*
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Beta Geminorum
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Arkab
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Beta Sagittarii
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Porrima
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Gamma Virginis
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Arneb
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Alpha Leporis
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Procyon*
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Alpha Canis Minoris
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Asellus Australis
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Delta Cancri
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Propus
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Eta Geminorum
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Asellus Borealis
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Gamma Cancri
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Pulcherrima
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Epsilon Boötis
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Asterope
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21 Tauri
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Rasalgethi
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Alpha Herculis
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Atlas
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27 Tauri
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Rasalhague*
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Alpha Ophiuchi
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Atria*
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Alpha Trianguli Australis
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Rastaban
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Beta Draconis
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Avior*
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Epsilon Carinae
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Regulus*
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Alpha Leonis
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Becrux
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Beta Crucis
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Rigel*
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Beta Orionis
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Bellatrix*
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Gamma Orionis
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Rigil Kentaurus* or Rigil
Kent
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Alpha Centauri
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Benetnasch
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Eta Ursae Majoris
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Ruchbah*
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Delta Cassiopeiae
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Betelgeuse*
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Alpha Orionis
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Rukbat
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Alpha Sagittarii
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Canopus*
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Alpha Carinae
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Sabik*
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Eta Ophiuchi
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Capella*
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Alpha Aurigae
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Sadachbia
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Gamma Aquarii
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Caph*
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Beta Cassiopeiae
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Sadalmelik
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Alpha Aquarii
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Castor*
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Alpha Geminorum
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Sadalsuud
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Beta Aquarii
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Cebalrai
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Beta Ophiuchi
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Sadr
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Gamma Cygni
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Celaeno
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16 Tauri
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Saiph
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Kappa Orionis
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Chara
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Beta Canum Venaticorum
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Scheat*
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Beta Pegasi
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Cor Caroli*
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Alpha Canum Venaticorum
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Seginus
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Gamma Boötis
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Cursa
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Beta Eridani
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Shaula*
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Lambda Scorpii
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Dabih
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Beta Capricorni
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Schedar*, Shedar, or Shedir
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Alpha Cassiopeiae
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Deneb*
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Alpha Cygni
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Sheliak
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Beta Lyrae
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Deneb Algedi
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Delta Capricorni
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Sheratan*
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Beta Arietis
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Deneb Kaitos
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Beta Ceti
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Sirius*
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Alpha Canis Majoris
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Denebola*
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Beta Leonis
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Sirrah
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Alpha Andromedae
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Diphda*
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Beta Ceti
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Spica*
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Alpha Virginis
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Dschubba*
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Delta Scorpii
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Suhail*
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Lambda Velorum
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Dubhe*
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Alpha Ursae Majoris
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Tarazed
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Gamma Aquilae
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Electra
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17 Tauri
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Taygeta
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19 Tauri
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Elnath*
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Beta Tauri
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Thuban
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Alpha Draconis
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Eltanin*
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Gamma Draconis
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Toliman
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Alpha Centauri
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Enif*
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Epsilon Pegasi
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Unukalhai
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Alpha Serpentis
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Errai
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Gamma Cephei
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Vega*
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Alpha Lyrae
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Etamin
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Gamma Draconis
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Vindemiatrix
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Epsilon Virginis
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Fomalhaut*
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Alpha Piscis Austrini
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Wasat
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Delta Geminorum
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Gacrux*
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Gamma Crucis
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Wezen*
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Delta Canis Majoris
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Gemma
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Alpha Coronae Borealis
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Yed Posterior
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Epsilon Ophiuchi
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Giedi
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Alpha Capricorni
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Yed Prior
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