Disputatio:Constellatio
I recomend we move this article to Constellatio. Sidus is definitely used for "constellation" but it's also used for "star," "planet," "comet," and even (apud Galilaeum) "moon." Constellatio is unambiguous. --Iustinus 01:46 nov 21, 2004 (UTC)
- I also recomend the comment by Mr. Iustinus that we move this article to Constellatio, and ". . . (Sidus)" pages to ". . . (Constellatio)". Sidera is meaning asterisms, groups of stars. Stellae is used for stars, planets, comets, satellites, and other small solar system bodies. The pages named ". . . (Sidus)" are the 88 official constellations that have been recognized by IAU since 1928. --Bay Flam 06:21, 11 Octobris 2008 (UTC)
- I agree. I have always been uncomfortable with our use of "sidus" for constellation: not incorrect, but ambiguous. Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 09:15, 11 Octobris 2008 (UTC)
- According to Cassell's, the basic & strict sense of sidus is 'a group of stars, a constellation'. Derived senses are 'a luminary heavenly body', 'the time of year', 'weather', (in astrology) 'a star', and (plural) 'the heavens'; and the transferred sense is 'any glorious or beautiful object'. Constellatio isn't in Cassell's, and may therefore be a nonclassical term. For that reason, and because the core sense of sidus is 'constellation', sidus looks better here. For 'asterism', we already have the article Asterismus. IacobusAmor 15:55, 11 Octobris 2008 (UTC)
- For the record, constellatio is postclassical, but antique: it shows up as early as the fourth century. This would hardly be the first time we went with something less-than-Ciceronian in order to avoid ambiguity, especially when it comes to scientific terms with established Latin forms. --Iustinus 00:04, 11 Iulii 2010 (UTC)
- Notice also that Cicero would never have used "sidus" to denote 'constellation'. For that, he used the collective plural "sidera" (whereas poets occasionally had "sidus"). Therefore, I concur with Iustinus in suggesting constellatio. --Neander 02:37, 11 Iulii 2010 (UTC)
- I think the consensus thus far is for "constellatio" -- it is easier in writing if one can make a singular and a plural as needed, hence I discount "sidera"; so I have moved to "constellatio", because I wanted to work on this area. But "WIAWIP" (Wikipedia is a work in progress) of course, so let discussion continue :) Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 16:14, 19 Martii 2011 (UTC)
- As long as everybody accepts that a constella is a co-star in a staged or televised play. ;) IacobusAmor 16:41, 19 Martii 2011 (UTC)
- I think the consensus thus far is for "constellatio" -- it is easier in writing if one can make a singular and a plural as needed, hence I discount "sidera"; so I have moved to "constellatio", because I wanted to work on this area. But "WIAWIP" (Wikipedia is a work in progress) of course, so let discussion continue :) Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 16:14, 19 Martii 2011 (UTC)
- Notice also that Cicero would never have used "sidus" to denote 'constellation'. For that, he used the collective plural "sidera" (whereas poets occasionally had "sidus"). Therefore, I concur with Iustinus in suggesting constellatio. --Neander 02:37, 11 Iulii 2010 (UTC)
- For the record, constellatio is postclassical, but antique: it shows up as early as the fourth century. This would hardly be the first time we went with something less-than-Ciceronian in order to avoid ambiguity, especially when it comes to scientific terms with established Latin forms. --Iustinus 00:04, 11 Iulii 2010 (UTC)
- According to Cassell's, the basic & strict sense of sidus is 'a group of stars, a constellation'. Derived senses are 'a luminary heavenly body', 'the time of year', 'weather', (in astrology) 'a star', and (plural) 'the heavens'; and the transferred sense is 'any glorious or beautiful object'. Constellatio isn't in Cassell's, and may therefore be a nonclassical term. For that reason, and because the core sense of sidus is 'constellation', sidus looks better here. For 'asterism', we already have the article Asterismus. IacobusAmor 15:55, 11 Octobris 2008 (UTC)
- I agree. I have always been uncomfortable with our use of "sidus" for constellation: not incorrect, but ambiguous. Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 09:15, 11 Octobris 2008 (UTC)