Editing Aldebaran (section)

==Etymology and mythology==
Aldebaran was originally {{lang|ar|نَيِّر اَلدَّبَرَان}} ({{Transliteration|ar|Nayyir al-Dabarān}} in Arabic), meaning {{gloss|the bright one of the follower}}, since it follows the Pleiades; in fact, the Arabs sometimes also applied‍ the name {{Transliteration|ar|al-Dabarān}} to the Hyades as a whole.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ridpath|first=Ian|title=Aldebaran, the eye of the bull|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/taurus2.html#aldebaran|website=Star Tales}}</ref> A variety of transliterated spellings have been used, with the current ''Aldebaran'' becoming standard relatively recently.<ref name=allen/>

===Mythology===
This easily seen and striking star in its suggestive [[asterism (astronomy)|asterism]] is a popular subject for ancient and modern myths.
* Mexican culture: For the [[Seri people|Seris]] of northwestern Mexico, this star provides light for the seven women giving birth ([[Pleiades]]). It has three names: ''{{lang|sei-Latn|Hant Caalajc Ipápjö}}'', ''{{lang|sei-Latn|Queeto}}'', and ''{{lang|sei-Latn|Azoj Yeen oo Caap}}'' ({{gloss|star that goes ahead}}). The lunar month corresponding to October is called ''{{lang|sei-Latn|Queeto yaao}}'' {{gloss|Aldebaran's path}}.<ref name=moser/>
* [[Indigenous Australian|Australian Aboriginal]] culture: amongst indigenous people of the Clarence River, in north-eastern [[New South Wales]], this star is the ancestor ''Karambal'', who stole another man's wife. The woman's husband tracked him down and burned the tree in which he was hiding. It is believed that he rose to the sky as smoke and became the star Aldebaran.<ref name=clarke/>
* [[Persia]]n culture: Aldebaran is considered one of the 4 "[[royal stars]]".{{sfnp|Allen|1963}}

===Names in other languages===
* In [[Indian astronomy]] it is identified as the [[lunar station]] Rohini. In [[Hindu mythology]], [[Rohini (goddess)|Rohini]] is one of the twenty-seven daughters of the sage-king [[Daksha]] and [[Asikni (goddess)|Asikni]], and the favourite wife of the moon god, [[Chandra]].
* In [[Persia]] it was known as Tascheter.<ref name=allen/>
* In [[Ancient Greek]] it has been called {{lang|el|Λαμπαδίας}} {{Transliteration|el|Lampadias}}, literally {{gloss|torch-like}} or {{gloss|torch-bearer}}.<ref name=lsj/>
* In [[Chinese astronomy|Chinese]], {{lang|zh|畢宿}} ({{lang|zh-Latn|Bì Xiù}}), meaning [[Net (Chinese constellation)|{{gloss|Net}}]], refers to an [[Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]] consisting of Aldebaran, [[Epsilon Tauri|ε Tauri]], [[Delta3 Tauri|δ<sup>3</sup> Tauri]], [[Delta1 Tauri|δ<sup>1</sup> Tauri]], [[Gamma Tauri|γ Tauri]], [[71 Tauri]] and [[Lambda Tauri|λ Tauri]].<ref name=zh/> Consequently, the [[Chinese star names|Chinese name]] for Aldebaran itself is {{lang|zh|畢宿五}} ({{lang|zh-Latn|Bì Xiù wǔ}}), {{gloss|the Fifth Star of Net}}.<ref name=lcsd/>
* In [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]], the star is named ''Kapuahi''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Villegas |first1=Marissa |title=Welcoming Kapuahi, Hawaiian Airlines' first Boeing 787 Dreamliner |url=https://newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/blog/welcoming-kapuahi-hawaiian-airlines-first-boeing-787-dreamliner |website=Hawaiian Airlines |access-date=16 April 2024 |date=23 February 2024}}</ref>
* In [[Biblical Hebrew]], עָשׁ (''ʿāš)'' in [[Job 9|Job 9:9]] and עַ֫יִשׁ (''ʿayiš'') in [[Job 38|Job 38:32]] have been identified with it and translated accordingly in English versions such as [[New Jewish Publication Society of America Tanakh|NJPS]] and [[Revised English Bible|REB]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Seow |first=C. L. |title=Job 1-21: interpretation and commentary |date=2013 |publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-8028-4895-6 |series=Illuminations |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan Cambridge, U.K |pages=559}}</ref>

===In modern culture===
[[File:Nave Aldebaran.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|[[Italian frigate Aldebaran (F 590)|Italian frigate ''Aldebaran'' (F 590)]]]]
As the brightest star in a Zodiac constellation, it is given [[Stars in astrology#Aldebaran|great significance]] within [[astrology]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Partridge |first=Jamie |date=2015-04-30 |title=Fixed Star Aldebaran |url=https://astrologyking.com/aldebaran-star-alpha-tauri/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=Astrology King |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521191338/https://astrologyking.com/aldebaran-star-alpha-tauri/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Irish singer and composer [[Enya]] has a piece released on her eponymous album in 1986, which lyricist [[Roma Ryan]] titled Aldebaran after the star in Taurus.

The name Aldebaran or Alpha Tauri has been adopted many times, including
* [[Aldebaran Rock]] in Antarctica
* United States Navy stores ship {{USS|Aldebaran|AF-10}} and {{ship|Italian frigate|Aldebaran|F 590|up=yes}}
* proposed micro-satellite launch vehicle [[Aldebaran (rocket)|Aldebaran]]
* French company [[Aldebaran Robotics]]
* Fashion brand [[AlphaTauri (fashion brand)|AlphaTauri]]
* [[Formula 1]] team [[Scuderia AlphaTauri]], active from {{F1|2020}} to {{F1|2023}}, previously known as [[Toro Rosso]]
* One of the chariot race horses owned by Sheikh Ilderim in the movie ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]''

The star also appears in works of fiction such as ''[[Far from the Madding Crowd]]'' (1874) and ''[[Down and Out in Paris and London]]'' (1933).  It is frequently seen in [[science fiction]], including the [[Lensman series|''Lensman'' series]] (1948–1954), ''[[Fallen Dragon]]'' (2001) and passingly in Kim Stanley Robinson's "Blue Mars" (1996). Aldebaran is associated with [[Hastur]], also known as The King in Yellow, in the horror stories of [[Robert W. Chambers]].<ref>Harms, ''[[The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana]]'', p. 136.</ref>

In the [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] episode 'Relics', [[Montgomery Scott]] and [[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]] drink "Aldebaran whisky".

Aldebaran regularly features in [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] as one of the origins of [[List of alleged extraterrestrial beings|extraterrestrial aliens]],<ref name=lafayette/> often linked to [[Nazi UFOs]].<ref name=vanhelsing/> A well-known example is the German conspiracy theorist [[Axel Stoll]], who considered the star the home of the [[Aryan#Nazism and white supremacy|Aryan race]] and the target of expeditions by the ''[[Wehrmacht]]''.<ref name=stoll/>

The planetary exploration probe ''[[Pioneer 10]]'' is no longer powered or in contact with Earth, but its trajectory is taking it in the general direction of Aldebaran.  It is expected to make its closest approach in about two million years.<ref name=cp48_1_41 />

The Austrian chemist [[Carl Auer von Welsbach]] proposed the name ''aldebaranium'' (chemical symbol Ad) for a [[rare earth element]] that he (among others) had found. Today, it is called [[ytterbium]] (symbol Yb).<ref name="Deu">{{cite journal|title=Die Zerlegung des Ytterbiums in seine Elemente|journal=Monatshefte für Chemie|volume=29|issue=2|date=1908|doi=10.1007/BF01558944|pages=181–225|first=Carl A.|last=von Welsbach|s2cid=197766399|url=https://zenodo.org/record/2348610|access-date=2021-09-13|archive-date=2021-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921144103/https://zenodo.org/record/2348610|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fra">{{cite journal|title=Lutetium und Neoytterbium oder Cassiopeium und Aldebaranium – Erwiderung auf den Artikel des Herrn Auer v. Welsbach|date=1909|journal=Monatshefte für Chemie|volume=31|issue=10|doi=10.1007/BF01530262|first=G.|last=Urbain|page=1|s2cid=101825980|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1859372|access-date=2021-09-13|archive-date=2021-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029180506/https://zenodo.org/record/1859372|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=history>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/naturesbuildingb0000emsl|url-access=registration| pages= [https://archive.org/details/naturesbuildingb0000emsl/page/492 492]–494|title = Nature's building blocks: an A-Z guide to the elements| author =Emsley, John | publisher= Oxford University Press| date = 2003| isbn = 978-0-19-850340-8}}</ref>