Star Names
The Foot of Jawza’ (rijl al-jawza’)
The Two Feet of Jawza’ (rijla al-jawza’)
The Foot of Jawza’ (rijl al-Jawza’) is the name attributed to each of two bright stars that represent the two feet of the female figure of Jawza’. In the earliest times, the name “Jawza’ ” referred to only the three bright stars that are lined up in the middle of the figure.
The Feet of Jawza’ (rijla al-jawza’) as they appear in the west about 45 minutes before sunrise in early December. Sky simulations made with Stellarium.
Appearance
A pair of very bright blue-white stars that appear below the three stars of the Belt of Pearls. One star lies on each side of the Belt stars below them.
Modern Identification
β ORI (Rigel), blue-white supergiant star, magnitude 0.1
κ ORI (Saiph), blue supergiant star, magnitude 2.1
Timing
The two Feet of Jawza’ rise and set one after the other about a week apart. The right-side Foot rises a couple days before the first star of the lunar station called the Neck Mark (al-han’a) rises, and sets when Thuraya (ath-thuraya) sets. The left-side Foot rises with the second star of the Neck Mark (al-han’a) and sets a couple days after the Follower (ad-dabaran) sets. Ibn Qutayba (d. 879 CE) reported that the Neck Mark was said to rise on the morning of June 23, and that Thuraya was said to set on the morning of November 13 and the Follower on November 26. On account of the precession of the equinoxes, we can expect to observe the Feet of Jawza’ setting in late December and rising in late July, as seen from the latitude of Tucson. (See How to Observe on the About page for more on this topic.)
Rain Stars
The Feet of Jawza’ do not figure in the calendar of the rains stars.
Lunar Stations
The Feet of Jawza’ do not figure in the calendar of the lunar stations.
Related Stars and Celestial Complexes
The Feet of Jawza’ are part of the Jawza’ (al-jawza’, الجوزاء) folkloric celestial complex, which developed over time from the central stars that mark her Belt of Pearls.