Page:Hindu astronomy, Brennand (1896).djvu/74

 In addition to the Yoga-taras, or principal stars, the Siddhantas give the names and places of a few other stars, among the most important of them being the Southern stars, Agastya, or Canopus, and Lubdaca (the Hunter) or Sirius, and the Northern stars Bramehridya or Capella, and Agni or β Tauri, Prajapati δ Aurigæ.

Of the few stars which were close to the Ecliptic, and most suitable as points of reference, Magna, Pushya, Revati, and Sataraka (or, respectively, Regulus, δ Cancri, ζ Piscium, and λ Aquarii) are recommended as most to be preferred for planets whose longitudes are required, or any star of Chitra (as α Virginis) having very inconsiderable latitude, when the planet, having also nearly the same latitude, appears to touch the star. The stars at a greater distance from the Ecliptic would only occasionally be in conjunction with the planets or be occultated by the moon, giving their own fixed longitudes and latitudes to the moveable bodies with which they were for the moment coinciding. By a little previous calculation regarding the stars with which particular planets and the moon would be in conjunction, the times of occurrence were easily ascertained, and, with care, even by unaided vision, ordinary observations of a fair degree of accuracy would be obtained.

The Asterisms are described in three stanzas of the Retnamala; they are:—

Lunar Constellation figured by

1. Aswini—A horse's head.

2. Bharani—Yoni or Bhaga.

3. Critica—A razor.

4. Rohini A wheel carriage.

5. Mrigasiras The head of an antelope.

6. Ardra A gem.

7. Punarvasu A house.

8. Pushya An arrow.

9. Aslesha A wheel.

10. Magha Another house.

11 . Purva Phalguni A bedstead.

12. Uttara Phalguni Another bedstead.

13. Hasta A hand.

14. Chitra A pearl.

15. Swati A piece of coral.

16. Visacha A festoon of leaves.

Lunar Constellation figured by

17. Anuradha An oblation to the gods.

18. Jyeshtha A rich ear-ring.

19. Mula The tail of a fierce lion.

20. Purvashadha A couch.

21. Uttarashadha The tooth of a wanton elephant, near which is the kernel of the sringataca nut.

22. Sravana The three-footed step of Vishnu.

23. Dhanishta A tabor.

24. Satabhisha A circular jewel.

25. Purva Bhadrapada A two-faced image.

26. Uttarabhadrapada Another couch.

27. Revati A smaller sort of tabor.