Agena (Beta Centauri), also known as Hadar, is the eleventh brightest star in the night sky and second in the constellation Centaur. Agena is a bluish-white giant star, located at a distance of approximately 350 light-years from the Solar System . It has a stellar magnitude of -5.42, with an intrinsic brightness higher than the alpha star of the constellation ( Rigil Kentaurus ), but it is much further away.
Agena is a double star, the Agena component “B” has a stellar magnitude of +4 and rotates around the main star with an orbital period of about 225 years.
Summary
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- 1 Origin of the name
- 2 Location
- 3 Mythology
- 4 Sources
Name’s origin
The name Agena comes from Latin and means “knee”, due to the location of the star on the body of the mythological animal that represents the constellation. The Arabs gave this star its name Hadar, which means “ground.”
Location
Rigil Kentaurus is located in the constellation of the Centaurus and is visible from European latitudes because it shines in the southern sky, only visible under 20º N. The Centaurus is an extensive constellation that is found north of Crux and in the extreme north of the Milky Way . It surrounds the Southern Cross, forming one of the richest and most beautiful constellations in the sky.
Mythology
Centaur is one of the best known classical myths; it is Chiron, a creature with the body and legs of a horse, and the torso and arms of a man. Son of Ella and Crono, Chiron was abandoned by his parents and lived on Mount Pelion. He educated great heroes like Achilles , Asclepius and Jason. When he died, Zeus placed him among the constellations.
