Bulletin of the IAU Working Group on Star Names, No. 2

Table 1 includes proper names for stars approved by the IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN) on 21 August 2016, 12 September 2016, 5 October 2016, and 6 November 2016. Nearly all of these are traditional names whose etymologies are discussed in works like Richard Hinckley Allen (1963) Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning published by Dover [1] (reprinted and retitled version of Allen’s (1899) Star-Names and Their Meanings published by G.E. Stechert [2]), Paul Kunitzsch (1959) Arabische Sternnamen in Europa [3], and A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations by Paul Kunitzsch & Tim Smart (2006; 2nd Revised Edition, Sky Publishing, Cambridge) [4]. In some cases, the name was historically attributed to multiple stars, however WGSN has clarified which star/component. Designations in column (2) are HR #s from the Bright Star Catalog, and IDs in column (7) are the Bayer or Flamsteed designations. Some stars listed by HR # or Bayer/Flamsteed designation themselves may be multiple. Where a component letter (from e.g. Washington Double Star Catalog) is not explicitly listed, the name should be understood to be attributed to the brightest component by visual brightness. Three-letter IAU constellation abbreviations follow the IAU Style Manual [5].