Altair - Etymology, Mythology, and Culture

Etymology, Mythology, and Culture

The name Altair has been used since medieval times. It is an abbreviation of the Arabic phrase النسر الطائر, an-nasr aṭ-ṭā’ir (English: The flying eagle). The term Al Nesr Al Tair appeared in Al Achsasi Al Mouakket catalogue, which was translated into Latin as Vultur Volans. This name was applied by the Arabs to the asterism of α, β, and γ Aquilae and probably goes back to the ancient Babylonians and Sumerians, who called α Aquilae the eagle star. The spelling Atair has also been used. Medieval astrolabes of England and Western Europe depicted Altair and Vega as birds.

The Koori people of Victoria also knew Altair as Bunjil, the Wedge-tailed Eagle, and β and γ Aquilae are his two wives the Black Swans. The people of the Murray River knew the star as Totyerguil. The Murray River was formed when Totyerguil the hunter speared Otjout, a giant Murray Cod, who, when wounded, churned a channel across southern Australia before entering the sky as the constellation Delphinus.

In Chinese, the asterism consisting of α, β, and γ Aquilae is known as 河鼓 (Hé Gŭ, English: River Drum). Altair is thus known as 河鼓二 (Hé Gŭ èr, English: the Second Star of the Drum at the River, or more literally, Riverdrum 2). However, it is better known by its other names: 牵牛星 (Qiān Niú Xīng) or 牛郎星 ( Niú Láng Xīng), or in English, Cowherd Star. These names are from the love story of 七夕, Qī Xī, in which Niú Láng and his two children, β and γ Aquilae, are separated from their mother, 織女 (Zhī Nŭ, English: Weaver Girl), the star Vega, by the Milky Way. They are only permitted to meet once a year, when the Milky Way is crossed by a bridge of magpies. The Japanese Tanabata (七夕?) festival, in which Altair is known as Hikoboshi (彦星, , English: 'Cow Herder Star?), is based on this legend.

The people of Micronesia called Altair as Mai-lapa, "big/old breadfruit", while the Māori people called this star as Poutu-te-rangi, "pillar of heaven".

Japan Airlines's Starjet 777-200 JA8983 was named Altair.

In astrology, the star Altair was ill-omened, portending danger from reptiles.

The NASA Constellation Program announced Altair as the name of the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) on December 13, 2007. The Russian-made Beriev Be-200 Altair seaplane is also named after the star.

The 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet is set on Altair 4, a presumed planet of the star. Stephen King's 1985 novel "The Tommyknockers" also makes reference to Altair 4, as a desolate wasteland.

The Altair 8800 was one of the first microcomputers intended for home use.

Altair is the name of three United States navy ships: USS Altair (AD-11), USS Altair (AK-257) and USS Altair (AKR-291).

The 2007 Ubisoft game, "Assassin's Creed," features Altaïr ibn-La'Ahad as the main character. An eagle will fly in the game near an area where the player has climbed to a high enough structure and there are nearby set pieces into which the player can jump, breaking the character's fall.