Azelfafage

English

The constellation Cygnus as depicted in Urania's Mirror (1824). Azelfafage is labeled at the swan's tail. Also note that Pegasus is located to the bottom left of Cygnus, but not near Azelfafage.

Etymology

Either:

• From Arabic الذَّيْل الدَّجَاجَة (aḏ-ḏayl ad-dajāja, “the tail of the hen”). Cygnus is known in Arabic as الدَّجَاجَة (ad-dajāja, “the hen”).
• From Arabic الظِّلْف الْفَرَس (aẓ-ẓilf al-faras, “the hoof of the horse”), in reference to Pegasus, or to another “Stallion” constellation known to medieval Arabs. In the modern conception of constellations, Pegasus does not extend this far, but its hooves do border another part of Cygnus.

Proper noun

Azelfafage

1. (astronomy) The first component of Pi¹ Cygni, a binary star in the northern constellation of Cygnus.