STARS: Major | All | Constellations | Chinese | About
07♒09 to 12♒23
The 9th Chinese lunar mansion is named 牛宿 Niu Su, “Ox Mansion.” It is the 2nd of the 7 mansions of the Black Tortoise of the North.
The 3rd asterism of the Ox Mansion is also called 九坎 Jiǔkǎn, “Nine Water Wells.” It represents nine irrigation wells and is composed of 4 stars of the constellation Microscopium. [1]
| 2000 | 2050 | IAU | Chinese | Orb |
| 09♒32 | 10♒14 | θ¹ Mic | Jiukan Yi (1) | 1°50′ |
| 06♒32 | 07♒14 | η Mic | Jiukan Er (2) | 1°00′ |
| 02♒13 | 02♒55 | ι Mic | Jiukan San (3) | 1°00′ |
| 06♒46 | 07♒28 | ζ Mic | Jiukan Si (4) | 1°30′ |
Jiukan the Nine Water Wells
07♒09 to 12♒23
九 [jiǔ] means “nine.” 坎 [kǎn] means “trenches.” The original, or medieval asterism Jiukan, contained 9 stars. It is located south of the modern asterism of 4 stars. The medieval stars can be found in Stellarium.
Ma Duanlin (1317)
The nine black stars of the Nine Kan are east of the Heavenly Fields (Tiantian), governing ditches and canals, used to guide springs and ensure their overflow. A bright and strong star indicates disaster, with barbarian invasions; an unclear star is auspicious. [2]
Song History (1346)
Jiu Kan consists of nine stars located south of Qianniu (Ox asterism); they govern ditches, channeling water sources, draining excess water, and also preside over floods and droughts. If these stars are bright, it signifies a water disaster (flooding); if faint or small, it is auspicious. A lunar halo indicates flooding; if any of the Five Planets pass through this region, waters overflow. The presence of a guest star signifies widespread worry. Clouds entering the sky, if blue, indicate drought; if black, indicate floods. [3]