Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning
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Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning is a book written by Richard Hinckley Allen. First published in 1899 as Star-Names and Their Meanings, this work assembled the common views about the names of the stars and constellations. It has brief descriptions of the various myths and legends connected with stars, from round the globe and not just the Greek and Roman version.
The book gives brief details about astronomy but is not a useful reference except for names and legends. Astrology and its history is dealt with briefly in the introduction, as well as some other basic astrological references which are scattered throughout the book. He was not a professional astronomer or academic, but his work is taken seriously by those with an interest in star names.
If you've ever wondered why Sirius is called the Dog Star or who first saw Orion as a giant, this is the book. It is currently in print, having been republished from the 1960s onwards under the title Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning. There seems to be no modern equivalent.
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