Fixed star:  NAOS
Constellation:  Zeta (ζ) Puppis the Ship Argo Navis
Longitude 1900:  17LEO10 Longitude 2000:  18LEO33
Declination 1900:  -39.43' Declination 2000:  -39.59'
Right ascension:  08h 03m Latitude:  -58.20'
Spectral class:  O5 Magnitude:  2.3

The history of the star: Naos



from p.73 of Star Names, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889.
[A scanned copy can be viewed on this webpage]

Zeta (ζ) Puppis, Naos, is a star on the deck of Argo Navis the Ship, in the constellation of the Stern.

Greek naos means “ship”. Naos, from Greek naos, is also a term used in classical architecture to refer to the inner chamber of a temple which houses an idol [1].

At the southeastern extremity of the Egyptian X, is the Suhail Hadar of the tenth Persian astronomical writer Al Sufi, and the Naos, or Ship, of Burritt's Atlas, 1856. Zeta Puppis Naos), with gamma (γ) Vela, and lambda (λ Alsuhail) Vela, was one of the Muhlifain, the "Suhail of the Oath" (by which reference was made to the statement that at their rising some mistook them for Suhail (Canopus), and the consequent arguments were the occasion of much profanity among the Arabs).

Muliphein is also the name of the gamma star of Canis Major (Muliphein).

Its south declination in 1880 was 39° 40', and so it is plainly visible from the latitude of the State of Maine, coming to the meridian on the 3d of March.



Translation of Muliphein on Steve Gibson's page: "the two causing dispute and the swearing of an oath" - oath is a pledge; oath of office etc., and on the deck of a ship where much salty language is likely to be heard, sailors are notorious for swearing.

The astrological influences of the constellation Puppis

No myths or interpretations are associated with the constellation Puppis because the stars in this constellation had always been seen as part of the constellation Argo Navis, the Great Ship, until French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752 subdivided Argo Navis into Carina (the keel of the ship), Puppis (the poop), and Vela (the sails), plus a subordinate division of Argo now called Pyxis Nautica. The constellation Argo Navis represents the ship in which Jason brought the Golden Fleece from Colchis, said to be the first ship ever built.

The astrological influences for the whole constellation of Argo Navis, the Great Ship: According to Ptolemy the bright stars are like Saturn and Jupiter. Argo is said to give prosperity in trade and voyages, and strength of mind and spirit, but it has been observed to accompany cases of drowning, a notable instance being furnished by the horoscope of Shelley, where Argo occupied the 8th house and contained the Sun, Venus and Uranus. Drowning is particularly to be feared when Saturn afflicts the Moon in or from Argo. It is probably on account of this constellation that Virgo, especially the first decanate, is frequently found to be connected with drowning. [Robson*, p.30.]

