Where Are the Lost Stars?
Some of the brightest stars are not in the 29 primary asterisms. Of the remaining 51 asterisms:
- 9 had 7 stars,
- 8 had 6 stars,
- 13 had 5 stars,
- 15 had 4 stars,
- 3 had 3 stars,
- 1 had 2 stars, and
- 2 had a single star.
The brightest stars of the 51 secondary asterisms were:
- Polaris, the (north) pole star, in Asterism 01, as a single star. It is fitting that Polaris, the one stationary star of the celestial sphere, forms its own asterism.
- Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, and Megrez, the four bowl stars of the Big Dipper/Ursa Major, Asterism 10 (5 stars).
- Mizar, Alioth, and Alkaid, the three handle stars of the Big Dipper/Ursa Major, Asterism 11, (7 stars).
- Mirach and Alamak (Andromeda), Asterism 19 (5 stars).
- Hamal (Aries), Asterism 26 (7 stars).
- Matar, Scheat and Markab (Pegasus), the latter two from the Great Square asterism, Asterism 27 (6 stars).
- Alhena (Gemini), Asterism 28 (7 stars).
- Alpheratz and Algenib (the Great Square of Pegasus), Asterism 29 (4 stars).
- Arcturus (Bootes), Asterism 32 (4 stars).
- Denebola (Leo), Asterism 34 (6 stars).
- Betelgeuse and Bellatrix (the shoulders of Orion), Asterism 35 (5 stars).
- Procyon and Gomeisa (Canis Minor), Asterism 38 (7 stars).
- Alphard (Hydra), Asterism 43 (3 stars).
- Spica (Virgo), Asterism 49 (3 stars).
- Deneb Kaitos (Cetus), Asterism 50 (6 stars).
- Sirius and Mirzam (Canis Major), Asterism 51 (5 stars).
- Fomalhaut (Piscis Austrinis), Asterism 55 (5 stars).
- Al Nair (Grus), Asterism 67 (4 stars).
- Canopus (Carina), Asterism 71 (7 stars).