The traditional name Zubenelgenubi comes from the pre-Roman era, when the Libra constellation had not yet been invented, it derives from the Arabic الزبانى الجنوبي al-zubānā al-janūbiyy, which means 'the southern pincer [of the scorpion]'. The alternative name Kiffa Australis is a partial Latin translation of the Arabic al-kiffah al-janubiyyah الكفة الجنوبية, which means 'the southern saucer [of the balance]'.
Zubenelgenubi is a yellow-white subgigant star of spectral type F3 V, with a surface temperature of 6653 K. It has a rotation speed of 6 km/s.
It is a system formed by 2 components. Due to its proximity to the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon, and very rarely by planets (Venus occulted it on October 25, 1947).
Photometric observations were carried out in the year 2014 and May 2010.
Position in relation to the ecliptic:
- Longitude: 225.4º (15º21' Scorpio; sesquicuadrate 135º, 0º21' orb)
- Latitude: 0.3º ( 0º20' Aries; conjunction, 0º20' orb).
Position in relation to the celestial equator:
- Right ascension: 222.7º (12º43' 8th House; (octa)unvigintile@137º 9', 0º08' orb; golden aspect 137º30', 0º13' orb)
- Declination: -16.0º (13º57' 12th House; trevigintile@15º39', 0º24' orb)
The star Zubenelgenubi reminds the quality of the planet Saturn. It is related with an amazing ability to produce interruptions.
"Grey's Anatomy" (S1, 2005)
Ellen Pompeo, actress of the TV series "Grey's Anatomy" (S1, 2005), has Zubenelgenubi in Scorpio (5th Moon-Node House) in conjunction with Mercury.
