There are currently 87 stars in the catalog of the International Astronomical Union whose names begin with the letter a. Most of these names have Arabic origins.
The following table lists them all. Here’s what each of the columns mean:
Name: The proper or colloquial name for the star.
Constellation: The group of stars the star belongs to.
Bayern Designation: The ordered name for the star in the Bayern catalog of stars.
Designation: The ‘scientific’ name for the star in the IAU catalog. This is the name astronomers generally use.
Approval Date: The date the proper name was officially approved for the IAU catalog. Most names have been used for a much longer time though.
| Name | Constellation | Bayern Designation | Designation | Approval Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acamar | Eridanus | θ1 Eridani A | HR 897 | 2016-07-20 |
| Achernar | Eridanus | α Eridani A | HR 472 | 2016-06-30 |
| Achird | Cassiopeia | η Cassiopeiae A | HR 219 | 2017-09-05 |
| Acrab | Scorpius | β1 Scorpii Aa | HR 5984 | 2016-08-21 |
| Acrux | Crux | α Crucis Aa | HR 4730 | 2016-07-20 |
| Acubens | Cancer | α Cancri Aa | HR 3572 | 2016-07-20 |
| Adhafera | Leo | ζ Leonis Aa | HR 4031 | 2016-07-20 |
| Adhara | Canis Major | ε Canis Majoris A | HR 2618 | 2016-08-21 |
| Adhil | Andromeda | ξ Andromedae | HR 390 | 2016-08-21 |
| Ain | Taurus | ε Tauri Aa1 | HR 1409 | 2015-12-15 |
| Ainalrami | Sagittarius | ν1 Sagittarii A | HR 7116 | 2017-09-05 |
| Aladfar | Lyra | η Lyrae Aa | HR 7298 | 2017-09-05 |
| Albaldah | Sagittarius | π Sagittarii A | HR 7264 | 2017-09-05 |
| Albali | Aquarius | ε Aquarii | HR 7950 | 2016-09-12 |
| Albireo | Cygnus | β1 Cygni Aa | HR 7417 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alchiba | Corvus | α Corvi | HR 4623 | 2016-09-12 |
| Alcor | Ursa Major | 80 Ursae Majoris Ca | HR 5062 | 2016-06-30 |
| Alcyone | Taurus | η Tauri A | HR 1165 | 2016-06-30 |
| Aldebaran | Taurus | α Tauri | HR 1457 | 2016-06-30 |
| Alderamin | Cepheus | α Cephei | HR 8162 | 2016-07-20 |
| Aldhanab | Grus | γ Gruis | HR 8353 | 2017-09-05 |
| Aldhibah | Draco | ζ Draconis A | HR 6396 | 2017-09-05 |
| Aldulfin | Delphinus | ε Delphini | HR 7852 | 2017-09-05 |
| Alfirk | Cepheus | β Cephei Aa | HR 8238 | 2016-08-21 |
| Algedi | Capricornus | α2 Capricorni | HR 7754 | 2016-08-21 |
| Algenib | Pegasus | γ Pegasi | HR 39 | 2016-06-30 |
| Algieba | Leo | γ1 Leonis | HR 4057 | 2016-07-20 |
| Algol | Perseus | β Persei Aa1 | HR 936 | 2016-06-30 |
| Algorab | Corvus | δ Corvi A | HR 4757 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alhena | Gemini | γ Geminorum Aa | HR 2421 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alioth | Ursa Major | ε Ursae Majoris A | HR 4905 | 2016-06-30 |
| Aljanah | Cygnus | ε Cygni Aa | HR 7949 | 2017-06-30 |
| Alkaid | Ursa Major | η Ursae Majoris | HR 5191 | 2016-06-30 |
| Alkalurops | Boötes | μ1 Boötis Aa | HR 5733 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alkaphrah | Ursa Major | κ Ursae Majoris A | HR 3594 | 2017-09-05 |
| Alkarab | Pegasus | υ Pegasi | HR 8905 | 2017-09-05 |
| Alkes | Crater | α Crateris | HR 4287 | 2016-09-12 |
| Almaaz | Auriga | ε Aurigae | HR 1605 | 2017-02-01 |
| Almach | Andromeda | γ Andromedae A | HR 603 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alnair | Grus | α Gruis | HR 8425 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alnasl | Sagittarius | γ2 Sagittarii | HR 6746 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alnilam | Orion | ε Orionis | HR 1903 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alnitak | Orion | ζ Orionis Aa | HR 1948 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alniyat | Scorpius | σ Scorpii Aa1 | HR 6084 | 2017-02-01 |
| Alphard | Hydra | α Hydrae | HR 3748 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alphecca | Corona Borealis | α Coronae Borealis | HR 5793 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alpheratz | Andromeda | α Andromedae Aa | HR 15 | 2016-06-30 |
| Alpherg | Pisces | η Piscium A | HR 437 | 2018-06-01 |
| Alrakis | Draco | μ Draconis A | HR 6370 | 2017-02-01 |
| Alrescha | Pisces | α Piscium A | HR 596 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alruba | Draco | HD 161693 | HR 6618 | 2018-06-01 |
| Alsafi | Draco | σ Draconis | HR 7462 | 2017-06-30 |
| Alsciaukat | Lynx | 31 Lyncis | HR 3275 | 2017-06-30 |
| Alsephina | Vela | δ Velorum Aa | HR 3485 | 2017-09-05 |
| Alshain | Aquila | β Aquilae A | HR 7602 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alshat | Capricornus | ν Capricorni A | HR 7773 | 2017-06-30 |
| Altair | Aquila | α Aquilae | HR 7557 | 2016-06-30 |
| Altais | Draco | δ Draconis | HR 7310 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alterf | Leo | λ Leonis | HR 3773 | 2017-02-01 |
| Aludra | Canis Major | η Canis Majoris | HR 2827 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alula Australis | Ursa Major | ξ Ursae Majoris Aa | HR 4375 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alula Borealis | Ursa Major | ν Ursae Majoris | HR 4377 | 2016-07-20 |
| Alya | Serpens | θ1 Serpentis A | HR 7141 | 2016-08-21 |
| Alzirr | Gemini | ξ Geminorum | HR 2484 | 2017-06-30 |
| Ancha | Aquarius | θ Aquarii | HR 8499 | 2016-09-12 |
| Angetenar | Eridanus | τ2 Eridani | HR 850 | 2017-06-30 |
| Ankaa | Phoenix | α Phoenicis | HR 99 | 2016-07-20 |
| Anser | Vulpecula | α Vulpeculae | HR 7405 | 2017-06-30 |
| Antares | Scorpius | α Scorpii A | HR 6134 | 2016-06-30 |
| Arcturus | Boötes | α Boötis | HR 5340 | 2016-06-30 |
| Arkab Posterior | Sagittarius | β2 Sagittarii | HR 7343 | 2016-10-05 |
| Arkab Prior | Sagittarius | β1 Sagittarii | HR 7337 | 2016-10-05 |
| Arneb | Lepus | α Leporis A | HR 1865 | 2016-07-20 |
| Ascella | Sagittarius | ζ Sagittarii A | HR 7194 | 2016-09-12 |
| Asellus Australis | Cancer | δ Cancri Aa | HR 3461 | 2016-11-06 |
| Asellus Borealis | Cancer | γ Cancri Aa | HR 3449 | 2016-11-06 |
| Ashlesha | Hydra | ε Hydrae A | HR 3482 | 2018-06-01 |
| Aspidiske | Carina | ι Carinae | HR 3699 | 2016-07-20 |
| Asterope | nan | nan | HR 1151 | 2016-08-21 |
| Athebyne | Draco | η Draconis A | HR 6132 | 2017-09-05 |
| Atik | Perseus | ο Persei A | HR 1131 | 2016-09-12 |
| Atlas | Taurus | 27 Tauri Aa1 | HR 1178 | 2016-08-21 |
| Atria | Triangulum Australe | α Trianguli Australis | HR 6217 | 2016-07-20 |
| Avior | Carina | ε Carinae A | HR 3307 | 2016-07-20 |
| Azelfafage | Cygnus | π1 Cygni | HR 8301 | 2016-09-12 |
| Azha | Eridanus | η Eridani | HR 874 | 2016-09-12 |
| Azmidi | Puppis | ξ Puppis | HR 3045 | 2018-06-01 |
This list does not include some of the proposed star names that are proposed every year, but still haven’t been fully approved and made official.
Find more star names that start with the letter: