Cor Caroli

The IAU catalogue's account

The name first appeared in 1673 on the northern half of a pair of celestial hemispheres that accompanied a book called Astroscopium by the English cartographer Francis Lamb. He labelled the star Cor Caroli Regis Martyris, a reference to the fact that King Charles I was beheaded, or ‘martyred’, as Lamb loyally put it (Charles had declared himself ‘martyr of the people’ at his execution).

Source language

Latin

Reference

Lamb, Francis (1673). Astroscopium, or, Two hemispheres containing all the northern and southern constellations projected upon the poles of the world : which (by the help of a movable horizon) are rendred serviceable in any latitude : the uses of which hemispheres are illustrated by variety of examples.

Source: IAU Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN), Working Group on Star Names. The account is the IAU's own text and is quoted in full: it is published under CC BY.