Our space fact of the week comes to us from CosmoQuest community member UncWilly who told us about a visible star in a classic constellation that had no traditional Arabic or Latin name until the mid-twentieth century. Gamma Cassiopeiae, which is the center star of the very distinctive ‘W’ asterism in the northern sky, was given the informal name Navi by Gus Grissom, which is his middle name Ivan spelled backward.

Iota Ursa Majoris got the name Dnoces (‘second’ backward) after Edward H. White II, Grissom’s crewmate, by Gus.

Gamma Velorum got the name Regor (‘Roger’ spelled in reverse) for Roger Chaffee, same way.

More Information

Apollo 1: Three Stars Commemorate a Sad Anniversary (Space.com)