How Do You Spell ALTAIR?

Pronunciation: [ˈɔːlte͡ə] (IPA)

The word "Altair" is a proper noun referring to a star in the Aquila constellation. It is pronounced /ælˈtɛər/ in IPA phonetic transcription, which means "al-tair". The first syllable "al" sounds like "owl" without the "w", while the second syllable "tair" rhymes with "air". This spelling is based on the Latin name for the star, which means "the eagle" in reference to the constellation it resides in. Altair is a bright and easily recognizable feature in the night sky.

ALTAIR Meaning and Definition

  1. Altair is a noun that refers to a star system located in the constellation of Aquila, approximately 16.7 light-years away from Earth. The name Altair is derived from Arabic, with "Al-Tair" meaning "the flying eagle." It is one of the brightest stars visible from Earth and is part of the summer triangle asterism, along with two other stars: Vega and Deneb.

    Altair consists of three stars, with the main star being a white main-sequence star. It is classified as an A-type star on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, indicating its high surface temperature. Altair rotates at an exceptionally fast rate, spinning on its axis once every 6.5 hours, compared to the average 24-hour rotation of the Sun.

    Due to its brightness and its relatively close proximity to Earth, Altair has been of significant interest to astronomers and has been extensively studied. It has served as a reference star in various fields of research, including astrometry and exoplanet detection. Altair's distance and properties make it an important object for understanding stellar evolution and the behavior of fast-rotating stars.

    In broader culture, Altair is often celebrated in science fiction literature, movies, and video games. It has become a subject of fascination and inspiration for its unique characteristics and connection to humanity's exploration of space.

Common Misspellings for ALTAIR

Etymology of ALTAIR

The word "Altair" is derived from Arabic. It comes from the Arabic phrase "an-nasr al-ta'ir", which means "the flying eagle". In Arabic, "an-nasr" means "the eagle", and "al-ta'ir" means "the flying". "Altair" is the Latinized version of this Arabic phrase.

Similar spelling words for ALTAIR

Plural form of ALTAIR is ALTAIRS

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