Capella
/kəˈpɛl.ə/noun
The brightest star in the constellation Auriga, and the sixth-brightest star in the night sky.
Did you know?Capella’s name comes from the same Latin root as caper, meaning “goat,” because ancient sky-watchers imagined this star as a goat carried in the heavens.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kapro-
“male goat”
Latin
Latin
caper
“goat”
Latin
Latin
capella
“little goat”
Classical Latin Astronomy
Latin
Capella
“the “little goat” star associated with a goat in the constellation figure”
Modern English
English
Capella
“the bright star in Auriga”