Arabic star names / Altair

Altair

النسر الطائر

Altair comes from the Arabic النسر الطائر (al-Nasr al-Ṭāʾir), which means “the flying eagle”. It is the 12th-brightest star in the sky, in Aquila.

Brightness

0.76

Colour

white

Constellation

Aquila

Best seen

September evenings

Right ascension

19h 51m

Declination

+8° 52′

The name

Its two neighbouring stars were seen as outstretched wings. Europe kept only the second word: al-Ṭāʾir became Altair.

Where you can see it

It rises everywhere north of 81°S. From Riyadh it climbs to 74° above the horizon. From London it climbs to 47° above the horizon. From Sydney it climbs to 47° above the horizon.