| Fixed star: KUMA | |
| Constellation: Nu (ν) Draco | |
| Longitude 1900: 08SAG54 | Longitude 2000: 10SAG20 |
| Declination 1900: +55.15′ | Declination 2000: +55.11′ |
| Right ascension: 17h 32m | Latitude: +78.08′ |
| Spectral class: A8 | Magnitude: 5.0 |
The history of the star: Kuma
from p.211 of Star Names, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889.
[A scanned copy can be viewed on this webpage
Nu (ν) Draco, Kuma, is a star in the mouth of the Dragon.
Some have translated Kuma to mean “At Last”. It was one of Al’Awa’id, “the Mother Camels” which was known as the Quinque Dromedarii, already mentioned in connection with beta (β Alwaid), gamma (γ Etamin), mu (μ Arrakis) and xi (ξ Grumium). In the early Arabic theme for this constellation these stars in the Head of the Dragon represent four mother camels protecting a baby camel from the attack of two hyenas (eta η and zeta ζ Nodus 1). The nomads camp located nearby (the three unnamed stars in the neck of the Dragon: upsilon, tau, and sigma).
Another figure that included nu was Al Salib al Waki’, “the Falling Cross”, beta (Alwaid) and xi (Grumium) forming the perpendicular, gamma (Etamin), mu (Arrakis), and nu (this star Kuma) the transverse.
Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889].
The astrological influences of the constellation Draco
Legend: Draco represents the dragon that guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides. According to other accounts, however, it is either the dragon thrown by the giants at Minerva in their war with the Gods, or the serpent Python slain by Apollo after the deluge. [Robson, p.43.]
Influences: According to Ptolemy the bright stars are like Saturn and Mars. Draco gives an artistic and emotional but somber nature, a penetrating and analytical mind, much travel and many friends but danger of robbery and of accidental poisoning. It was said by the Ancients that when a comet was here poison was scattered over the world. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Mem and the 13th Tarot Trump “Death.” [Robson, p.43.]
References:
Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923].