royal star

English

Noun

royal star (plural royal stars)

  1. (astrology) One of a set of four first-magnitude stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, regarded by ancient Persians as the guardians of the sky.
    • 1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 41:
      At the earlier period the Summer solstice was in the centre of Leo, the Autumnal equinox in the centre of Scorpio, and the Winter solstice in the centre of Aquarius - corresponding roughly, Mr. Maunder points out, to the positions of the four "Royal Stars," Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut.
    • 1998, John H. Roger, “Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions”, in Journal of the British Astronomy Association, volume 108, number 1, page 24, column 2:
      These constellations each contained first-magnitude stars (Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut), which were close to the cardinal points and became known as the Royal Stars in later Persia. [...] The four royal stars may be symbolised in Persepolis, in a vast bas-relief of a king slaying a griffin, which has the horns and body of a bull, mane and forelegs of a lion, tail of a scorpion, and wings and hindlegs of an eagle.
    • 1998, John H. Roger, “Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions”, in Journal of the British Astronomy Association, volume 108, number 1, page 25, column 2:
      The Eagle was perhaps associated with the ancient zodiac by virtue of its ‘royal star’ Altair.
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