Orion ( constellation ) - wikipedia Orion ( constellation ) For other uses, see Orion ( disambiguation ). Orion Constellation List of stars in Orion Abbreviation Ori Genitive Orionis Pronunciation / ɒˈraɪ. ən / Symbolism Orion, the Hunter Right ascension 5 Declination + 5 Quadrant NQ1 Area 594 sq. deg. ( 26th ) Main stars 7 Bayer / Flamsteed stars 81 Stars with planets 10 Stars brighter than 3.00 8 Stars within 10.00 pc ( 32.62 ly ) 8 Brightest star Rigel ( β Ori ) ( 0.12 ) Messier objects Meteor showers Orionids Chi Orionids Bordering constellations Gemini Taurus Eridanus Lepus Monoceros Visible at latitudes between + 85 ° and − 75 °. Best visible at 21 : 00 ( 9 p.m. ) during the month of January. Click on to see large image Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky. It was named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology. Its brightest stars are Rigel ( Beta Orionis ) and Betelgeuse ( Alpha Orionis ), a blue - white and a red supergiant, respectively. Contents 1 History and mythology 1.1 Ancient Near East 1.2 Greco - Roman antiquity 1.3 Middle East 1.4 Asian antiquity 1.5 European folklore 1.6 Americas 1.7 Contemporary symbolism 1.7. 1 In fiction 1.8 Depictions 2 Characteristics 3 Navigational aid 4 Features 4.1 Stars 4.2 Belt 4.3 Head 4.4 Club 4.5 Shield 4.6 Meteor showers 4.7 Deep - sky objects 5 Future 6 See also 7 References 8 External links History and mythology Star formation in the constellation Orion as photographed in infrared by NASA 's Spitzer Space Telescope The earliest depiction that has been linked to the constellation of Orion is a prehistoric ( Aurignacian ) mammoth ivory carving found in a cave in the Ach valley in West Germany in 1979. Archaeologists have estimated it to have been fashioned approximately 32,000 to 38,000 years ago. The distinctive pattern of Orion has been recognized in numerous cultures around the world, and many myths have been associated with it. Orion has also been used as a symbol in the modern world. Ancient near east The Babylonian star catalogues of the Late Bronze Age name Orion SIPA.ZI.AN.NA, `` The Heavenly Shepherd '' or `` True Shepherd of Anu '' - Anu being the chief god of the heavenly realms. The Babylonian constellation was sacred to Papshukal and Ninshubur, both minor gods fulfilling the role of ' messenger to the gods '. Papshukal was closely associated with the figure of a walking bird on Babylonian boundary stones, and on the star map the figure of the Rooster was located below and behind the figure of the True Shepherd -- both constellations represent the herald of the gods, in his bird and human forms respectively. In ancient Egypt, the stars of Orion were regarded as a god, called Sah. Because Orion rises before Sirius, the star whose heliacal rising was the basis for the Solar Egyptian calendar, Sah was closely linked with Sopdet, the goddess who personified Sirius. The god Sopdu was said to be the son of Sah and Sopdet. Sah was syncretized with Osiris, while Sopdet was syncretized with Osiris ' mythological wife, Isis. In the Pyramid Texts, from the 24th and 23rd centuries BC, Sah was one of many gods whose form the dead pharaoh was said to take in the afterlife. The Armenians identified their legendary patriarch and founder Hayk with Orion. Hayk is also the name of the Orion constellation in the Armenian translation of the Bible. The Bible mentions Orion three times, naming it `` Kesil '' ( כסיל, literally - fool ). Though, this name perhaps is etymologically connected with `` Kislev '', the name for the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar ( i.e. November -- December ), which, in turn, may derive from the Hebrew root K-S-L as in the words `` kesel, kisla '' ( כֵּסֶל, כִּסְלָה, hope, positiveness ), i.e. hope for winter rains. : Job 9 : 9 ( `` He is the maker of the Bear and Orion '' ), Job 38 : 31 ( `` Can you loosen Orion 's belt ? '' ), and Amos 5 : 8 ( `` He who made the Pleiades and Orion '' ). In ancient Aram, the constellation was known as N phîlā ′, the Nephilim may have been Orion 's descendants. Greco - Roman antiquity Main article : Orion ( mythology ) Orion in the 9th century Leiden Aratea Orion 's current name derives from Greek mythology, in which Orion was a gigantic, supernaturally strong hunter of ancient times, born to Euryale, a Gorgon, and Poseidon ( Neptune ), god of the sea in the Graeco - Roman tradition. One myth recounts Gaia 's rage at Orion, who dared to say that he would kill every animal on the planet. The angry goddess tried to dispatch Orion with a scorpion. This is given as the reason that the constellations of Scorpius and Orion are never in the sky at the same time. However, Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, revived Orion with an antidote. This is said to be the reason that the constellation of Ophiuchus stands midway between the Scorpion and the Hunter in the sky. The constellation is mentioned in Horace 's Odes ( Ode 3.27. 18 ), Homer 's Odyssey ( Book 5, line 283 ) and Iliad, and Virgil 's Aeneid ( Book 1, line 535 ) Middle east In medieval Muslim astronomy, Orion was known as al - jabbar, `` the giant ''. Orion 's sixth brightest star, Saiph, is named from the Arabic, saif al - jabbar, meaning `` sword of the giant ''. Asian antiquity In China, Orion was one of the 28 lunar mansions Sieu ( Xiu ) ( 宿 ). It is known as Shen ( 參 ), literally meaning `` three '', for the stars of Orion 's Belt. ( See Chinese constellations ) The Chinese character 參 ( pinyin shēn ) originally meant the constellation Orion ( Chinese : 參 宿 ; pinyin : shēnxiù ) ; its Shang dynasty version, over three millennia old, contains at the top a representation of the three stars of Orion 's belt atop a man 's head ( the bottom portion representing the sound of the word was added later ). The Rig Veda refers to the Orion Constellation as Mriga ( The Deer ). It is said that two bright stars in the front and two bright stars in the rear are The hunting dogs, the one comparatively less bright star in the middle and ahead of two front dogs is The hunter and three aligned bright stars are in the middle of all four hunting dogs is The Deer ( The Mriga ) and three little aligned but less brighter stars is The Baby Deer. The Mriga means Deer, locally known as Harnu in folk parlance. There are many folk songs narrating the Harnu. The Malay called Orion ' Belt Bintang Tiga Beradik ( the `` Three Brother Star '' ). European folklore Constellation Orion as it can be seen by the naked eye Constellation Orion with the major stars labelled In old Hungarian tradition, `` Orion '' is known as ( magic ) Archer ( Íjász ), or Reaper ( Kaszás ). In recently rediscovered myths, he is called Nimrod ( Hungarian `` Nimród '' ), the greatest hunter, father of the twins `` Hunor '' and `` Magor ''. The `` π '' and `` o '' stars ( on upper right ) form together the reflex bow or the lifted scythe. In other Hungarian traditions, `` Orion 's belt '' is known as `` Judge 's stick '' ( Bírópálca ). In Scandinavian tradition, `` Orion 's belt '' was known as Frigg 's Distaff ( friggerock ) or Freyja 's distaff. The Finns call the Orion 's belt and the stars below it as Väinämöisen viikate ( Väinämöinen 's scythe ). Another name for the asterism of Alnilam, Alnitak and Mintaka is Väinämöisen vyö ( Väinämöinen 's Belt ) and the stars `` hanging '' from the belt as Kalevanmiekka ( Kaleva 's sword ). In Siberia, the Chukchi people see Orion as a hunter ; an arrow he has shot is represented by Aldebaran ( Alpha Tauri ), with the same figure as other Western depictions. Americas The Seri people of northwestern Mexico call the three stars in the belt of Orion Hapj ( a name denoting a hunter ) which consists of three stars : Hap ( mule deer ), Haamoja ( pronghorn ), and Mojet ( bighorn sheep ). Hap is in the middle and has been shot by the hunter ; its blood has dripped onto Tiburón Island. The same three stars are known in Spain and most of Latin America as `` Las tres Marías '' ( Spanish for `` The Three Marys '' ). In Puerto Rico, the three stars are known as the `` Los Tres Reyes Magos '' ( Spanish for The three Wise Men ). The Ojibwa ( Chippewa ) Native Americans call this constellation Kabibona'kan, the Winter Maker, as its presence in the night sky heralds winter. To the Lakota Native Americans, Tayamnicankhu ( Orion 's Belt ) is the spine of a bison. The great rectangle of Orion are the bison 's ribs ; the Pleiades star cluster in nearby Taurus is the bison 's head ; and Sirius in Canis Major, known as Tayamnisinte, is its tail. Another Lakota myth mentions that the bottom half of Orion, the Constellation of the Hand, represented the arm of a chief that was ripped off by the Thunder People as a punishment from the gods for his selfishness. His daughter offered to marry the person who can retrieve his arm from the sky, so the young warrior Fallen Star ( whose father was a star and whose mother was human ) returned his arm and married his daughter, symbolizing harmony between the gods and humanity with the help of the younger generation. The index finger is represented by Rigel ; the Orion Nebula is the thumb ; the Belt of Orion is the wrist ; and the star Beta Eridani is the pinky finger. Contemporary symbolism The imagery of the belt and sword has found its way into popular western culture, for example in the form of the shoulder insignia of the 27th Infantry Division of the United States Army during both World Wars, probably owing to a pun on the name of the division 's first commander, Major General John F. O'Ryan. The defunct film distribution company Orion Pictures used the constellation as its logo. In fiction In J.R.R. Tolkien 's mythology surrounding Middle - earth, Orion is known as Menelvagor, which is Sindarin for `` The Swordsman of the Sky ''. In the movie Blade Runner, the dying replicant Roy Batty introspectively delivers his `` Tears in Rain '' soliloquy : `` I 've seen things you people would n't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C - beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. '' In the sci - fi comedy Men In Black, the last words of a dying alien disguised as a human were ' To prevent war, the Galaxy is on Orion 's belt '. It was later revealed that ' Orion 's belt ' referred to the collar of a cat named ' Orion '. In the sci - fi television series Haven, the Orionid meteor shower is known as the Hunter Meteor Shower. It comes to Haven once every twenty - seven years when the Barn, a space between two worlds, comes to take the mysterious woman away. When the Barn leaves, the Hunter passes safely overhead and The Troubles end, making the town of Haven a haven for the Troubled again. Depictions In artistic renderings, the surrounding constellations are sometimes related to Orion : he is depicted standing next to the river Eridanus with his two hunting dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, fighting Taurus. He is sometimes depicted hunting Lepus the hare. He sometimes is depicted to have a lion 's hide in his hand. There are alternative ways to visualise Orion. From the Southern Hemisphere, Orion is oriented south - upward, and the belt and sword are sometimes called the saucepan or pot in Australia and New Zealand. Orion 's Belt is called Drie Konings ( Three Kings ) or the Drie Susters ( Three Sisters ) by Afrikaans speakers in South Africa and are referred to as les Trois Rois ( the Three Kings ) in Daudet 's Lettres de Mon Moulin ( 1866 ). The appellation Driekoningen ( the Three Kings ) is also often found in 17th - and 18th - century Dutch star charts and seaman 's guides. The same three stars are known in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines as `` Las Tres Marías '' ( The Three Marys ), and as `` Los Tres Reyes Magos '' ( The three Wise Men ) in Puerto Rico. Even traditional depictions of Orion have varied greatly. Cicero drew Orion in a similar fashion to the modern depiction. The Hunter held an unidentified animal skin aloft in his right hand ; his hand was represented by Omicron Orionis and the skin was represented by the 5 stars designated Pi Orionis. Kappa and Beta Orionis represented his left and right knees, while Eta and Lambda Leporis were his left and right feet, respectively. As in the modern depiction, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta represented his belt. His left shoulder was represented by Alpha Orionis, and Mu Orionis made up his left arm. Lambda Orionis was his head and Gamma, his right shoulder. The depiction of Hyginus was similar to that of Cicero, though the two differed in a few important areas. Cicero 's animal skin became Hyginus 's shield ( Omicron and Pi Orionis ), and instead of an arm marked out by Mu Orionis, he holds a club ( Chi Orionis ). His right leg is represented by Theta Orionis and his left leg is represented by Lambda, Mu, and Epsilon Leporis. Further Western European and Arabic depictions have followed these two models. Characteristics Orion is bordered by Taurus to the northwest, Eridanus to the southwest, Lepus to the south, Monoceros to the east, and Gemini to the northeast. Covering 594 square degrees, Orion ranks twenty - sixth of the 88 constellations in size. The constellation boundaries, as set by Eugène Delporte in 1930, are defined by a polygon of 26 sides. In the equatorial coordinate system, the right ascension coordinates of these borders lie between 04 43.3 and 06 25.5, while the declination coordinates are between 22.87 ° and − 10.97 °. The constellation 's three - letter abbreviation, as adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, is `` Ori ''. Orion is most visible in the evening sky from January to March, winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In the tropics ( less than about 8 ° from the equator ), the constellation transits at the zenith. In the period May -- July ( summer in the Northern Hemisphere, winter in the Southern Hemisphere ), Orion is in the daytime sky and thus not visible at most latitudes. However, for much of Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere 's winter months, the Sun is below the horizon even at midday. Stars ( and thus Orion ) are then visible at twilight for a few hours around local noon, low in the North. At the same time of day at the South Pole itself ( Amundsen -- Scott South Pole Station ), Rigel is only 8 ° above the horizon, and the Belt sweeps just along it. In the Southern Hemisphere 's summer months, when Orion is normally visible in the night sky, the constellation is actually not visible in Antarctica because the sun does not set at that time of year south of the Antarctic Circle. In countries close to the equator ( e.g. Kenya, Indonesia, Colombia, Ecuador ), Orion appears overhead in December around midnight and in the February evening sky. Navigational aid Using Orion to find stars in neighbor constellations Orion is very useful as an aid to locating other stars. By extending the line of the Belt southeastward, Sirius ( α CMa ) can be found ; northwestward, Aldebaran ( α Tau ). A line eastward across the two shoulders indicates the direction of Procyon ( α CMi ). A line from Rigel through Betelgeuse points to Castor and Pollux ( α Gem and β Gem ). Additionally, Rigel is part of the Winter Circle asterism. Sirius and Procyon, which may be located from Orion by following imaginary lines ( see map ), also are points in both the Winter Triangle and the Circle. Features See also : List of stars in Orion Orion as depicted in Urania 's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c. 1825 Orion 's seven brightest stars form a distinctive hourglass - shaped asterism, or pattern, in the night sky. Four stars -- Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix and Saiph -- form a large roughly rectangular shape, in the centre of which lie the three stars of Orion 's Belt -- Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. Coincidentally, these seven stars are among the most distant that can easily be seen with the naked eye. Descending from the ' belt ' is a smaller line of three stars ( the middle of which is in fact not a star but the Orion Nebula ), known as the hunter 's ' sword '. Many of the stars are luminous hot blue supergiants, with the stars of the belt and sword forming the Orion OB1 Association. Standing out by its red hue, Betelgeuse may nevertheless be a runaway member of the same group. Stars Betelgeuse, alternatively by its Bayer designation Alpha Orionis, is a massive M - type red supergiant star nearing the end of its life. When it explodes it will even be visible during the day. It is the second brightest star in Orion, and is a semiregular variable star. It serves as the `` right shoulder '' of the hunter it represents ( assuming that he is facing the observer ), and is the eighth brightest star in the night sky. Rigel, also known as Beta Orionis, is a B - type blue supergiant that is the sixth brightest star in the night sky. Similar to Betelgeuse, Rigel is fusing heavy elements in its core and will pass its supergiant stage soon ( on an astronomical timescale ), either collapsing in the case of a supernova or shedding its outer layers and turning into a white dwarf. It serves as the left foot of Orion, the hunter. Bellatrix was designated Gamma Orionis by Johann Bayer, but is known colloquially as the `` Amazon Star ''. It is the twenty - seventh brightest star in the night sky. Bellatrix is considered a B - type blue giant, though it is too small to explode in a supernova. Bellatrix 's luminosity is derived from its high temperature rather than its radius, a factor that defines Betelgeuse. Bellatrix serves as Orion 's left shoulder. Mintaka garnered the name Delta Orionis from Bayer, even though it is the faintest of the three stars in Orion 's Belt. Its name means `` the belt ''. It is a multiple star system, composed of a large B - type blue giant and a more massive O - type main - sequence star. The Mintaka system constitutes an eclipsing binary variable star, where the eclipse of one star over the other creates a dip in brightness. Mintaka is the westernmost of the three stars of Orion 's Belt, as well as the northernmost. Orion constellation map. Alnilam is designated Epsilon Orionis, a consequence of Bayer 's wish to name the three stars in Orion 's Belt ( from north to south ) in alphabetical order. Also called Al Nathin, Alnilam is named for the Arabic phrase meaning `` string of pearls ''. Alnilam is a B - type blue supergiant ; despite being nearly twice as far from the Sun as Mintaka and Alnitak, the other two belt stars, its luminosity makes it nearly equal in magnitude. Alnilam is losing mass quickly, a consequence of its size ; it is approximately four million years old. Alnitak, meaning `` the girdle '', was designated Zeta Orionis by Bayer, and is the easternmost star in Orion 's Belt. It is a triple star some 800 light years distant, with the primary star being a hot blue supergiant and the brightest class O star in the night sky. Saiph was designated Kappa Orionis by Bayer, and serves as Orion 's right foot. It is of a similar distance and size to Rigel, but appears much fainter, as its hot surface temperature ( 46,000 ° F / 26,000 ° C ) causes it to emit most of its light in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. Of the lesser stars, Meissa ( or Lambda Orionis ) forms Orion 's head, whilst Hatsya ( or Iota Orionis ) forms the tip of Orion 's sword. Iota Orionis is also called Nair al - Saif, Arabic for `` the brightest in the sword ''. Proper name Apparent magnitude Approx. distance ( Light years ) Radius ( R ) Betelgeuse 0.0 - 1.3 643 887 Rigel 0.05 - 0.18 860 78.9 Bellatrix 1.659 - 1.64 250 5.75 Mintaka 2.23 ( 3.2 / 3.3 ) 1,200 16.5 Alnilam 1.64 - 1.74 2,000 42 Alnitak 1.77 ( 2.08 / 4.28 / 4.01 ) 1,260 20 Saiph 2.09 650 22.2 Belt Main article : Orion 's Belt Orion 's Belt Closeup Image of Orion 's Belt Orion 's Belt or The Belt of Orion is an asterism within the constellation. It consists of the three bright stars Zeta ( Alnitak ), Epsilon ( Alnilam ), and Delta ( Mintaka ). Alnitak is around 800 light years away from earth and is 100,000 times more luminous than the Sun ; much of its radiation is in the ultraviolet range, which the human eye can not see. Alnilam is approximately 1340 light years away from Earth, shines with magnitude 1.70, and with ultraviolet light is 375,000 times more luminous than the Sun. Mintaka is 915 light years away and shines with magnitude 2.21. It is 90,000 times more luminous than the Sun and is a double star : the two orbit each other every 5.73 days. Looking for Orion 's Belt in the night sky is the easiest way to locate the constellation. In the Northern Hemisphere, Orion 's Belt is best visible in the night sky during the month of January around 9 : 00 pm, when it is approximately around the local meridian. Just southwest of Alnitak lies Sigma Orionis, a multiple star system composed of five stars that have a combined apparent magnitude of 3.7 and lying 1150 light years distant. Southwest of Mintaka lies the quadruple star Eta Orionis. Head Three stars compose a small triangle that marks the head. The apex is marked by Meissa ( Lambda Orionis ), a hot blue giant of spectral type O8 III and apparent magnitude 3.54, which lies some 1100 light years distant. Phi - 1 and Phi - 2 Orionis make up the base. Also nearby is the very young star FU Orionis. Club Stretching north from Betelgeuse are the stars that make up Orion 's club. Mu Orionis marks the elbow, Nu and Xi mark the handle of the club, and Chi and Chi mark the end of the club. Just east of Chi is the Mira - type variable red giant U Orionis. Shield West from Bellatrix lie six stars all designated Pi Orionis ( π Ori, π Ori, π Ori, π Ori, π Ori and π Ori ) which make up Orion 's shield. Meteor Showers Around 20 October each year the Orionid meteor shower ( Orionids ) reaches its peak. Coming from the border with the constellation Gemini as many as 20 meteors per hour can be seen. The shower 's parent body is Halley 's Comet. Deep - sky objects This view brings out many fainter features, such as Barnard 's Loop. Hanging from Orion 's belt is his sword, consisting of the multiple stars θ1 and θ2 Orionis, called the Trapezium and the Orion Nebula ( M42 ). This is a spectacular object that can be clearly identified with the naked eye as something other than a star. Using binoculars, its clouds of nascent stars, luminous gas, and dust can be observed. The Trapezium cluster has many newborn stars, including several brown dwarfs, all of which are at an approximate distance of 1,500 light - years. Named for the four bright stars that form a trapezoid, it is largely illuminated by the brightest stars, which are only a few hundred thousand years old. Observations by the Chandra X-ray Observatory show both the extreme temperatures of the main stars -- up to 60,000 kelvins -- and the star forming regions still extant in the surrounding nebula. M78 ( NGC 2068 ) is a nebula in Orion. With an overall magnitude of 8.0, it is significantly dimmer than the Great Orion Nebula that lies to its south ; however, it is at approximately the same distance, at 1600 light - years from Earth. It can easily be mistaken for a comet in the eyepiece of a telescope. M78 is associated with the variable star V351 Orionis, whose magnitude changes are visible in very short periods of time. Another fairly bright nebula in Orion is NGC 1999, also close to the Great Orion Nebula. It has an integrated magnitude of 10.5 and is 1500 light - years from Earth. The variable star V380 Orionis is embedded in NGC 1999. Another famous nebula is IC 434, the Horsehead Nebula, near ζ Orionis. It contains a dark dust cloud whose shape gives the nebula its name. NGC 2174 is an emission nebula located 6400 light - years from Earth. Besides these nebulae, surveying Orion with a small telescope will reveal a wealth of interesting deep - sky objects, including M43, M78, as well as multiple stars including Iota Orionis and Sigma Orionis. A larger telescope may reveal objects such as Barnard 's Loop and the Flame Nebula ( NGC 2024 ), as well as fainter and tighter multiple stars and nebulae. All of these nebulae are part of the larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, which is located approximately 1,500 light - years away and is hundreds of light - years across. It is one of the most intense regions of stellar formation visible within our galaxy. Future Animation showing Orion 's proper motion from 50000 BC to 50000 AD Orion is located on the celestial equator, but it will not always be so located due to the effects of precession of the Earth 's axis. Orion lies well south of the ecliptic, and it only happens to lie on the celestial equator because the point on the ecliptic that corresponds to the June solstice is close to the border of Gemini and Taurus, to the north of Orion. Precession will eventually carry Orion further south, and by AD 14000 Orion will be far enough south that it will become invisible from the latitude of Great Britain. Further in the future, Orion 's stars will gradually move away from the constellation due to proper motion. However, Orion 's brightest stars all lie at a large distance from the Earth on an astronomical scale -- much farther away than Sirius, for example. Orion will still be recognizable long after most of the other constellations -- composed of relatively nearby stars -- have distorted into new configurations, with the exception of a few of its stars eventually exploding as supernovae, for example Betelgeuse, which is predicted to explode sometime in the next million years. See also EURion constellation Orvandil Urania Orion Nebula in fiction Orion correlation theory Hubble 3D ( 2010 ), an IMAX film with an elaborate CGI `` fly - through '' of the Orion Nebula References Explanatory notes Jump up ^ The determiner glyph for `` constellation '' or `` star '' in these lists is MUL ( 𒀯 ). See Babylonian star catalogues. Citations ^ Jump up to : Dolan, Chris. `` Orion ''. Archived from the original on 2011 - 11 - 28. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 28. Jump up ^ Rappenglück, Michael ( 2001 ). `` The Anthropoid in the Sky : Does a 32,000 Years Old Ivory Plate Show the Constellation Orion Combined with a Pregnancy Calendar ''. Symbols, Calendars and Orientations : Legacies of Astronomy in Culture. IXth Annual meeting of the European Society for Astronomy in Culture ( SEAC ). Uppsala Astronomical Observatory. pp. 51 -- 55. Jump up ^ `` The Decorated Plate of the Geißenklösterle, Germany ''. UNESCO : Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy. Retrieved 26 February 2014. Jump up ^ Whitehouse, David ( January 21, 2003 ). `` ' Oldest star chart ' found ''. BBC. Retrieved 26 February 2014. Jump up ^ John H. Rogers, `` Origins of the ancient constellations : I. The Mesopotamian traditions '', Journal of the British Astronomical Association 108 ( 1998 ) 9 -- 28 Jump up ^ Babylonian Star - lore by Gavin White, Solaria Pubs, 2008, page 218ff & 170 Jump up ^ Wilkinson, Richard H. ( 2003 ). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. pp. 127, 211 Jump up ^ Kurkjian, Vahan ( 1968 ). `` History of Armenia ''. uchicago.edu. Michigan. 8. Jump up ^ Peake 's commentary on the Bible, 1962, page 260 section 221f. Jump up ^ `` Star Tales -- Orion ''. www.ianridpath.com. Jump up ^ Staal 1988, pp. 61 - 62. Jump up ^ Metlitzki, Dorothee ( 1977 ). The Matter of Araby in Medieval England. United States : Yale University Press. p. 79. ISBN 0 - 300 - 11410 - 9. Jump up ^ Kaler, James B., `` SAIPH ( Kappa Orionis ) '', Stars, University of Illinois, retrieved 2012 - 01 - 27 Jump up ^ 漢語 大 字典 Hànyǔ Dàzìdiǎn ( in Chinese ), 1992 ( p. 163 ). 湖北 辭書 出版 社 和 四川 辭書 出版 社 Húbĕi Cishu Chūbǎnshè and Sìchuān Cishu Chūbǎnshè, re-published in traditional character form by 建 宏 出版 社 Jiànhóng Publ. in Taipei, Taiwan ; ISBN 957 - 813 - 478 - 9 Jump up ^ Holay, P.V. `` Vedic astronomers ''. Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India. 26 : 91 -- 106. Bibcode : 1998BASI... 26... 91H. 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Jump up ^ `` Encyclopedia of Arda : Swordsman of the Sky ''. Glyphweb.com. 1999 - 11 - 27. Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 16. Jump up ^ `` The Three Kings and the Cape Clouds : Two astronomical puzzles ''. psychohistorian.org. Jump up ^ `` Orion, Constellation Boundary ''. The Constellations. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 22 March 2013. Jump up ^ Russell, Henry Norris ( 1922 ). `` The New International Symbols for the Constellations ''. Popular Astronomy. Vol. 30. pp. 469 -- 71. Bibcode : 1922PA... 30... 469R. Jump up ^ Ellyard, David ; Tirion, Wil ( 2008 ) ( 1993 ). The Southern Sky Guide ( 3rd ed. ). Port Melbourne, Victoria : Cambridge University Press. p. 4. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 71405 - 1. Jump up ^ `` A Beginner 's Guide to the Heavens in the Southern Hemisphere ''. dibonsmith.com. Jump up ^ `` The Evening Sky Map Southern Hemisphere Edition ''. skymaps.com. ^ Jump up to : Staal 1988, p. 61. ^ Jump up to : `` Variable Star of the Month, Alpha Ori ''. Variable Star of the Season. American Association of Variable Star Observers. 2000. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 26. Jump up ^ `` Betelgeuse ''. Chris Dolan 's Constellations. University of Wisconsin. 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 26. Jump up ^ `` Rigel ''. Jim Kaler 's Stars. University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign 8 = Campus. 2009. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 26. Jump up ^ `` Bellatrix ''. Chris Dolan 's Constellations. University of Wisconsin. 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 26. ^ Jump up to : `` Bellatrix ''. Jim Kaler 's Stars. University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign 8 = Campus. 2009. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 02 - 26. ^ Jump up to : `` Mintaka ''. Jim Kaler 's Stars. University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Campus. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011 - 11 - 28. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 28. ^ Jump up to : `` Alnilam ''. Jim Kaler 's Stars. University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Campus. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011 - 11 - 28. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Alnitak ''. Stars.astro.illinois.edu. Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 16. Jump up ^ Jenniskens, Peter ( September 2012 ). `` Mapping Meteoroid Orbits : New Meteor Showers Discovered ''. Sky & Telescope. p. 22. Jump up ^ Wilkins, Jamie ; Dunn, Robert ( 2006 ). 300 Astronomical Objects : A Visual Reference to the Universe ( 1st ed. ). Buffalo, New York : Firefly Books. ISBN 978 - 1 - 55407 - 175 - 3. Jump up ^ Levy 2005, pp. 99 -- 100. Jump up ^ Levy 2005, p. 107. Jump up ^ `` Precession ''. Myweb.tiscali.co.uk. Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 16. Jump up ^ Wilkins, Alasdair. `` Earth may soon have a second sun ''. io9. Space Porn. Bibliography Levy, David H. ( 2005 ). Deep Sky Objects. Prometheus Books. ISBN 1 - 59102 - 361 - 0. Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion ( 2007 ). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978 - 0 - 00 - 725120 - 9. Princeton Universitl Press, Princeton. ISBN 978 - 0 - 691 - 13556 - 4. Staal, Julius D.W. ( 1988 ), The New Patterns in the Sky, McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company, ISBN 0 - 939923 - 04 - 1 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orion. The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations : Orion Melbourne Planetarium : Orion Sky Tour Views of Orion from other places in our Galaxy The clickable Orion Star Tales -- Orion Deep Widefield image of Orion Constellations of Words. Orion NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day : Orion : Head to Toe ( 23 October 2010 ) Beautiful Astrophoto : Zoom Into Orion Warburg Institute Iconographic Database ( over 160 medieval and early modern images of Orion ) Stars of Orion Bayer α ( Betelgeuse ) β ( Rigel ) γ ( Bellatrix ) δ ( Mintaka ) ε ( Alnilam ) ζ ( Alnitak ) η ( Algjebba ) θ Trapezium Cluster θ A θ B θ C θ D θ E θ ι κ ( Saiph ) λ ( Meissa ) μ ν ξ ο ο π π π ( Tabit ) π π π ρ σ τ υ ( Thabit ) φ φ χ χ ψ ψ ω Flamsteed 5 6 ( g ) 11 13 14 ( i ) 15 16 ( h ) 18 21 22 ( o ) 23 ( m ) 27 ( p ) 29 ( e ) 31 32 ( A ) 33 35 38 42 ( c ) 45 49 ( d ) 51 ( b ) 52 55 56 57 59 60 63 64 66 68 69 ( f ) 71 72 ( f ) 73 74 ( k ) 75 ( l ) Variable U Z RS UX VV VY YY AN BF BL BM BN BQ CK CN CO CZ DN DY ER EW EY FH FT FU FZ GG GP GU GW HK KX V346 V351 V359 V371 V372 V380 V586 V883 V901 V1031 V1046 V1051 V1107 V1118 V1149 V1155 V1156 V1159 V1162 V1179 V1192 V1197 V1261 V1307 V1309 V1355 V1357 V1366 V1369 V1377 V1389 V1647 V1649 V1788 HR 1507 1519 1522 1534 1553 1571 1574 1576 1578 1591 1596 1600 1613 1618 1619 1646 1681 1684 1685 1687 1691 1697 1701 1703 1709 1717 1724 1748 1759 1763 1764 1778 1781 1782 1786 1799 1803 1806 1807 1809 1819 1820 1826 1830 1832 1833 1840 1848 1861 1873 1874 1883 1886 1887 1891 1908 1911 1913 1918 1920 1923 1933 1940 1942 1950 1952 1955 1959 1967 1978 1986 2007 2014 2019 2024 2030 2039 2048 2051 2057 2070 2071 2075 2076 2093 2097 2099 2113 2133 2174 2184 2191 2214 2218 2222 2231 2233 2235 2236 2251 2253 2259 2269 2275 2287 2302 HD 30869 31253 31423 33636 34445 35575 35775 36150 36558 36629 36814 36840 37605 37806 37903 38087 38801 290327 Gliese Gliese 179 Gliese 182 Gliese 205 Gliese 208 Gliese 221 GJ 3379 Other BD + 03 740 Becklin -- Neugebauer Object CVSO 30 G 99 - 37 G 99 - 47 LkHα 208 LP 658 - 2 2MASS J05352184 - 0546085 OMC - 2 FIR 4 Orion source I Reipurth 50 Ross 47 RX J0529. 4 + 0041 S Ori 52 S Ori 70 4U 0614 + 091 WISE J0457 - 0207 WISE J0521 + 1025 List The 88 modern constellations Andromeda Antlia Apus Aquarius Aquila Ara Aries Auriga Boötes Caelum Camelopardalis Cancer Canes Venatici Canis Major Canis Minor Capricornus Carina Cassiopeia Centaurus Cepheus Cetus Chamaeleon Circinus Columba Coma Berenices Corona Australis Corona Borealis Corvus Crater Crux Cygnus Delphinus Dorado Draco Equuleus Eridanus Fornax Gemini Grus Hercules Horologium Hydra Hydrus Indus Lacerta Leo Leo Minor Lepus Libra Lupus Lynx Lyra Mensa Microscopium Monoceros Musca Norma Octans Ophiuchus Orion Pavo Pegasus Perseus Phoenix Pictor Pisces Piscis Austrinus Puppis Pyxis Reticulum Sagitta Sagittarius Scorpius Sculptor Scutum Serpens Sextans Taurus Telescopium Triangulum Triangulum Australe Tucana Ursa Major Ursa Minor Vela Virgo Volans Vulpecula Lists of constellations Constellation history The 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy after 150 AD Andromeda Aquarius Aquila Ara Argo Navis Aries Auriga Boötes Cancer Canis Major Canis Minor Capricornus Cassiopeia Centaurus Cepheus Cetus Corona Australis Corona Borealis Corvus Crater Cygnus Delphinus Draco Equuleus Eridanus Gemini Hercules Hydra Leo Lepus Libra Lupus Lyra Ophiuchus Orion Pegasus Perseus Pisces Piscis Austrinus Sagitta Sagittarius Scorpius Serpens Taurus Triangulum Ursa Major Ursa Minor Virgo The 41 additional constellations added in the 16th and 17th centuries Vespucci or Corsalius early 16c : Crux Triangulum Australe Vopel 1536 : Coma Berenices Keyser & de Houtman 1596 : Apus Chamaeleon Dorado Grus Hydrus Indus Musca Pavo Phoenix Tucana Volans Plancius 1613 : Camelopardalis Columba Monoceros Habrecht 1621 : Reticulum Hevelius 1683 : Canes Venatici Lacerta Leo Minor Lynx Scutum Sextans Vulpecula de Lacaille 1763 : Antlia Caelum Carina Circinus Fornax Horologium Mensa Microscopium Norma Octans Pictor Puppis Pyxis Sculptor Telescopium Vela Obsolete constellations ( including Ptolemy 's Argo Navis ) Anser Antinous Apes Argo Navis Asterion Cancer Minor Cerberus Chara Custos Messium Felis Frederici Honores / Gloria Frederici Gallus Globus Aerostaticus Jordanus Lilium Lochium Funis Machina Electrica Malus Mons Maenalus Musca Borealis Noctua Officina Typographica Polophylax Psalterium Georgianum / Harpa Georgii Quadrans Muralis Ramus Pomifer Robur Carolinum Sceptrum Brandenburgicum Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae Solarium Rangifer / Tarandus Taurus Poniatovii Telescopium Herschelii Testudo Tigris Triangulum Minus Turdus Solitarius Vespa Vultur cadens Vultur volans obsolete constellation names Apis Phoenicopterus Serpentarius Xiphias Coordinates : 05 30 00, + 00 ° 00 ′ 00 '' LCCN : sh85095656 GND : 4172838 - 5 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orion_(constellation)&oldid=800140118 '' Categories : Orion ( constellation ) Constellations Equatorial constellations Constellations listed by Ptolemy Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users Articles containing Sumerian - language text Articles containing Chinese - language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2012 Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Башҡортса Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Čeština Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Gaelg Gàidhlig Galego 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Ido Bahasa Indonesia Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Kiswahili Kurdî Кыргызча Кырык мары Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Limburgs Lingála Magyar Македонски മലയാളം मराठी Bahasa Melayu Mìng - 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Question: what are the names of the stars in orion
Answer: Betelgeuse