Capella
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- proper noun
- In the constellation Auriga, the brightest star is Capella, shining brilliantly in the night sky.
- Capella star
- Capella in Auriga
- bright Capella
Examples
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Mason and Dixon used the same five stars each time they stopped to measure latitude: Vega, Deneb (alpha Cygni), Delta and Gamma Cygni, and Capella.
Academic text (2006) -
A month later, yellow Capella rides high in Auriga.
Blog text (28) -
Vega, Procyon, Capella, Betelgeuse.
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From their cages, the birds can see 740 degrees of the sky, including Capella but not Orion (constellation at bottom).
Academic text (1995) -
Only once did Mason comment on having a problem with the observations when he wrote on 17 June 1766: "Capella passing the meridian with the sun, and the weather in general a little hazy in the daytime prevented our making any observations of that star."
Academic text (2006) -
Astronomers often study Capella, which is known as a double star due to its two giant components.
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During winter nights, many stargazers look for the bright star Capella in the northern sky.
Compounds
How Bright
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Surface Forms
Etymology
Capella comes from Latin and is a small form of capra, which means 'little goat'. You can see the same root in Capricorn, the zodiac sign with the goat, so the bright star Capella is remembered as the 'little goat' and that image helps explain its name.