Meaning of royal star | Babel Free

Definitions

One of a set of four first-magnitude stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, regarded by ancient Persians as the guardians of the sky.

Examples

“At the earlier period the Summer solstice was in the centre of Leo, the Autumnal equinox in the centre of Scorpio, and the Winter solstice in the centre of Aquarius - corresponding roughly, Mr. Maunder points out, to the positions of the four "Royal Stars," Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut.”

“These constellations each contained first-magnitude stars (Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut), which were close to the cardinal points and became known as the Royal Stars in later Persia. [...] The four royal stars may be symbolised in Persepolis, in a vast bas-relief of a king slaying a griffin, which has the horns and body of a bull, mane and forelegs of a lion, tail of a scorpion, and wings and hindlegs of an eagle.”

“The Eagle was perhaps associated with the ancient zodiac by virtue of its ‘royal star’ Altair.”

CEFR level