Zubenelgenubi (from Arabic الزبن الجنوبي (az-zuban al-janūbiyy, "the southern pincer (of the scorpion)) is the second brightest star in the constellation Libra, also known as α Librae, Kiffa Australis or Elkhiffa Australis ( partial translations into the Latin of the Arabic al-kiffah al-janūbiyy, "the southern plate (of the balance of Libra).) This constellation is close to that of Scorpion, the Arabs formerly considered Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali the claws of the zodiac sign However, the Romans then invented the constellation of Libra by removing stars from Scorpio, which is why the brightest stars of Libra are called Zubenelgenubi (south claw of the Scorpion) and Zubeneschamali (northern claw of the Scorpion).
Zubenelgenubi is a visual double star, with both components separated by an angular distance of 231 "(3'51"). The brighter of the two is a white star (spectral type A3 and apparent magnitude 2.8) and the other star is yellow-pale of spectral type F4 and apparent magnitude 5.2. In turn, the brighter of the two seems to be a double star system, consisting of two stars also of class A, these very close to each other (less than one AU). The system is 77 light years from our solar system.
Zubenelgenubi is near the ecliptic and can be hidden by the moon and more rarely by planets: the next occultation by a planet (Mercury) will be on November 10, 2052.
Zubenelgenubi astronomical data.
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