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Bible Encyclopedias
Eridanus

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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or FLuvIus (" the river "), in astronomy, a constellation of the southern hemisphere, mentioned by Eudoxus (4th century B.C.) and Aratus (3rd century B.C.); Ptolemy catalogued 34 stars in it. 0 Eridani, a fine double star of magnitudes 3.5 and 5.5, is now of the third magnitude. It is supposed to be identical with the Achernar of Al-Sufi, who described it as of the first magnitude; this star has therefore decreased in brilliancy in historic times. The star 0 2 Eridani (numbered 40 by Flamsteed) was discovered to be a ternary star group by Herschel in 1783; it consists of a close pair, of magnitudes 9.2 and 10.9, revolving in a period of 180 years, associated with a star of magnitude 4.5, which is distant from the pair by 82"; these stars have an exceptionally swift proper motion, about 4" per annum. Eridanus was the ancient name of the river Po.

Bibliography Information
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Eridanus'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​bri/​e/eridanus.html. 1910.
 
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