Gould designation
Encyclopedia
Gould designations for star
s are similar to Flamsteed designations in the way that they number stars within a constellation
in increasing order of right ascension
. Each star is assigned an integer (starting at 1), followed by " G. " (or occasionally followed directly by a "G" without a space), and then the Latin genitive of the constellation
it lies in. See List of constellations for a list of constellations and the genitive forms of their names.
They were assigned according to the stars' positions according to epoch
1875.0, so due to precession some stars may now occur out of order.
Gould designations first appeared in Uranometria Argentina, a catalogue published in 1879 by Benjamin Apthorp Gould
. Many of these designations have fallen out of use, though for many relatively bright southern stars (which are too far south to bear Flamsteed designations), Gould numbers remain the only simple designations available without referring to cumbersome catalogue numbers.
† 30 Doradus and 47 Tucanae
are Bode
numbers, not Gould designations.
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s are similar to Flamsteed designations in the way that they number stars within a constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
in increasing order of right ascension
Right ascension
Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...
. Each star is assigned an integer (starting at 1), followed by " G. " (or occasionally followed directly by a "G" without a space), and then the Latin genitive of the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
it lies in. See List of constellations for a list of constellations and the genitive forms of their names.
They were assigned according to the stars' positions according to epoch
Epoch (astronomy)
In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time used as a reference point for some time-varying astronomical quantity, such as celestial coordinates, or elliptical orbital elements of a celestial body, where these are subject to perturbations and vary with time...
1875.0, so due to precession some stars may now occur out of order.
Gould designations first appeared in Uranometria Argentina, a catalogue published in 1879 by Benjamin Apthorp Gould
Benjamin Apthorp Gould
Benjamin Apthorp Gould was a pioneering American astronomer. He is notable for creating the Astronomical Journal, discovering the Gould Belt, and for founding of the Argentine National Observatory and the Argentine National Weather Service.-Biography:He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, son of...
. Many of these designations have fallen out of use, though for many relatively bright southern stars (which are too far south to bear Flamsteed designations), Gould numbers remain the only simple designations available without referring to cumbersome catalogue numbers.
List of constellations utilizing Gould star designations
There are 66 constellations contained in Gould's numbering system (some of which also are covered partially or fully by Flamsteed numbers). Stars are listed in the appropriate lists for these constellation, as follows:33 Constellations that contain both Flamsteed and Gould numbers
33 Constellations that contain only Gould numbers
† 30 Doradus and 47 Tucanae
47 Tucanae
47 Tucanae or just 47 Tuc is a globular cluster located in the constellation Tucana. It is about 16,700 light years away from Earth, and 120 light years across. It can be seen with the naked eye, with a visual magnitude of 4.0...
are Bode
Johann Elert Bode
Johann Elert Bode was a German astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the Titius-Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name.-Biography:...
numbers, not Gould designations.
Stars Known Primarily by Gould Designations
Many of these were listed in the cross-index by Kostjuk, with their Gould numbers supplied as their supposed Flamsteed number. From this cross-index, the designations found their way into other sources, including SIMBAD. Many stars commonly known by their Gould designations are nearby stars.- 41 G. Arae
- 145 G. Canis Majoris
- 23 G. Carinae
- 72 G. Columbae
- 35 G. Crucis & 39 G. Crucis
- 82 G. Eridani
- 33 G. Librae
- 31 G. Mensae
- 67 G. Muscae
- 120 G. Phoenicis
- 61 G. Pictoris
- 96 G. Piscium
- 140 G. Puppis, 212 G. Puppis, 188 G. Puppis & 171 G. Puppis
- 16 G. Velorum