From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - The Ninth Month - Star Names for Draco" In the Ninth Month of Sagittarius

Star Names of Draco
a Thuban or Thu'ban', "snake," which comes from the Arabic name for this constellation.

• Also Ath-Thu'ban, "The snake."
• Since the next star Rastaban is Arabic for "head of the dragon," thus we see the Arabic taban.
• Thuban was the polestar around 2700 B.C., and the Egyptian temples were oriented to Thuban, which lies in the middle (or the second coil) of the long tail of the dragon, but now more than 25 degrees from the celestial pole.
• Other sources claim that in the Hebrew it means "The Subtle," as seen in the Garden of Eden of Genesis 3:1 "the serpent was more subtle than any of the beast of the field."
  • Subtle, also see Subtil.
    • Hebrew 'aruwm, aw-room', pass. part. of Heb. 'aram, aw-ram', a primary root properly to be (or make) bare, but used only in the der. sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) to be cunning, thus cunning (usually in a bad sense), crafty, prudent, subtil.
    • Hebrew chakam, khaw-kawm', to be wise, intelligent, cunning, subtil.
    • Hebrew natsar, naw-tsar', a primary root to guard, in a good sense (protect, maintain, obey) or a bad one (to conceal), hidden thing, subtil, watcher (man).
  • Rolleston calls Thuban, in Hebrew, The subtle (Arabic serpent, wise).
  • In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Thuban, the subtle."
• Other names for Thuban: Adib', Dragon's Tail, Addib', Adid, Adiv'e, Eddib', El Dsib', Al Tinnin'.

b Rastaban or Ras'taban', which is Arabic for "head of the dragon."

• Arabic Ra's ath-Thu'ban, "Head of the snake."
• Other sources claim that in the Hebrew this star's name means "The Head of the Subtle" or "The Head of the Serpent."    Also the "head of the snake,"
  • Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Hebrew name Rastaban, the head of the snake or subtle (serpent)."
  • In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Rastaban, head of the subtle."
• Other names for Rastaban: Ras al Thu'ban, Al wa'id, Asu'ia, Asvi'a, Rastaben.
  • In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Al Waid, who is to be destroyed."
  • Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Arabic it is still called Al Waid, who is to be destroyed (Job 21:17)."
    • Destruction.
      • Hebrew 'eyd, ade, from the same as Heb. 'uwd, ood, (in the sense of bending down), oppression, by implication misfortune, ruin, calamity, destruction.

g Eltanin or Eltanin', "sea monster," the brightest star of Draco, located in the dragon's head.

• Also seen as the Arabic At-Tinnin, "The great serpent."
  • Dragon.
    • Hebrew tanniyn, tan-neen', also tannin or tanniym (Ezek. 29:3), tan-neem', also tannim, as seen earlier.
• Ancient Thebes, the "city of the dragon," had a temple dedicated to this star.
  • Thebez (the'-bez).
    • Hebrew Tebets, tay-bates', from the same as Heb. buwts, boots, from an unused root (of the same form) meaning to bleach, i.e. (intrans.) be white, prob. cotton, fine linen; thus whiteness, Tebets, a place in Palestine, Thebez.    This Thebes is not the one in Egypt.
• Another spelling Ethanin is the Hebrew word for "The Long Serpent" or "Dragon."
  • Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Elthanin, i.e., the long serpent, or dragon."
  • In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Etanin, the long serpent, the Dragon."
• The seventh Hebrew month associated with Libra was Ethanim (Hebrew 'Eythaniym, ay-thaw-neem'), after the Exile now called Tishri, or the Akkadian Tashritu.
• Other names for Eltanin: Ras al Tinnin, Etamin' (modern name), Etanin', Eltanin', Ras'taban', Rasaben', Zenith star, Ras Eltanim.

d Nodus II (Nodus Secundus) sometimes, or Altais means either "he goat" or the "second knot," as in the second loop (out of four), in the body of the dragon.

• Some sources claim Altais is Arabic for "serpent."
  • Serpent.
    • Hebrew nachash, naw-khawsh', from Heb. nachash, naw-khash', a primary root, properly to hiss, thus a snake (from its hiss), serpent.
      • Nachash (as Draco), "fugitive serpent" of Job 26:13 (colubertortuosus in Vulgate) stands for the circumpolar reptile.
        • Crooked.
          • Hebrew bariyach, baw-ree'-akh, or bariach, a fugitive, i.e. the serpent (as fleeing), and the constellation by that name, crooked, noble, piercing - (See earlier notes of Aquila, regarding star named b Alshain).
    • Greek ophis, of'-is, through the idea of sharpness of vision, a snake, Satan, serpent.
• Other names for Altais: Ja'is (Tais), Al Tais', Aldib "the reptile also seen in w Athfar al Dhi'b.

e Draconis (no name).

• One source calls it Tyl, also Kin Yu, "goldfish."

z Nodus I (Nodus Primus) the "first knot" in the body of Draco.

• Another source calls it Kaou Pih.
• It also has other names such as: Aldhibah, Eldsib (rarely used).

h Draconis (no name).

• It is also called Al 'Auhakan.

J Draconis (no name).

• This star is not shown in the modern constellation.

i Edasich in Arabic "male hyena."

• Also Adh-Dhikh, "The hyena."
  • Hyena is a carnivorous mammal mainly found in Africa and Asia, which feed as scavengers and have powerful jaws, short hind limbs, and course hair.    Biblically they are just called wild beast and jackals.
• Other names for Edasich: Ed Asich', Eldsich', Al Dhiba, Al Dhi'bah, Al Dhihi, Al Dhih.

k Draconis (no name).

l Giansar or Giauzar, "dragon," which is a Persian word denoting the node (the point at which a planet or body crosses the ecliptic) of the Moon's orbit.

• Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Giansar, the punished enemy."
• In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Gianser, the punished enemy."
• Other names for Giansar: Gianfar, Giansar, Gaiusar, Ju'za.

m Arrakis or Alrakis, "dancer," as one source claims.

• Also Ar-Raqis, "The dancer."
• This star is not listed as one of the stars in the modern Draco constellation, and may be confused with the following.
  • As to an opposite under Gemini in Lepus, the other information list Rakis "The Bound" in Arabic it means "Bound, as with a chain."
• Other names for Arrakis: Erra'kis, Al Rakis, El Rakis, Al Rafid, Al Ca'ab (Asseronni).

n Kuma, "as last."

x Grumium, "jaw."

• Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Grumian, the subtle."
• In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Grumian, the deceiver."
• Other names for Grumium: Genam, Nodus I, Aw'la (Ideler).

s Alsa'fi, "cooking tripods."

• Also called Al-Athafi, "The tripods" for cooking on.
• This star is not listed as one of the stars in the modern Draco constellation.

y Dziban, "the two jackals."

• Arabic Adh-Dhi'ban, "The two wolves."
• This star is not listed as one of the stars in the modern Draco constellation.
• Other names for Dziban: Dsiban, Dai'ban, Al Dhi'bain.

w Athfar al Dhi'b.

• This star is not listed as one of the stars in the modern Draco constellation.
• Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72 "Al Dib, the reptile."
• In "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60, "Al Dib, the reptile."

Rolleston and in "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 72, and in "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 60,

• "Other (Arabic) names are:
  El Athik, the fraudful,
  and El Asieh, the bowed down, the humbled, brought down."

    Some of the other modern stars not shown here are q, c, and r round out the 15 modern stars but note 5 others listed above in Draco.


Return to Constellation Names of Draco.

---

Return to the Table of Contents or the Zodiac of Denderah