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The traditional name of Rigel stems from its location in the [[Orion]] constellation.  The name is derived from the [[Arabic]] ''Riǧl Ǧawza al-Yusra'', meaning "Left foot of the Central One", as the star is seen as the "left foot" of [[constellation]].  Another Arabic name for the star is ''riǧl al-ǧabbār'' or "the foot of the great one".  In Western culture, the star traditionally represents the left foot of the mythical hunter Orion of Greek mythology. Usually the The foot is mistakenly associated with Beta Eridani, which is really one of the stars that represents his footstool. The [[Chinese]] referred to the star as 参宿七 or ''Shēnxiù Qī'', meaning "The Seventh of the Three Stars".  

The traditional name of Rigel stems from its location in the [[Orion]] constellation.  The name is derived from the [[Arabic]] ''Riǧl Ǧawza al-Yusra'', meaning "Left foot of the Central One", as the star is seen as the "left foot" of [[constellation]].  Another Arabic name for the star is ''riǧl al-ǧabbār'' or "the foot of the great one".  In Western culture, the star traditionally represents the left foot of the mythical hunter Orion of Greek mythology. Usually the The foot is mistakenly associated with Beta Eridani, which is really one of the stars that represents his footstool. The [[Chinese]] referred to the star as 参宿七 or ''Shēnxiù Qī'', meaning "The Seventh of the Three Stars".  

Rigel is also one of the most important stars used in [[celestial navigation]] throughout the history of oceanic sailing.  This is due to both the star's relative brightness and it's equatorial location, making it visible in most [[ocean]] [[latitude|latitudes]].

Rigel is also one of the most important stars used in [[celestial navigation]] throughout the history of oceanic sailing.  This is due to both the star's relative brightness and its equatorial location, making it visible in most [[ocean]] [[latitude|latitudes]].

==Star System==

==Star System==

===Rigel B===

===Rigel B===

Rigel B is a class B9 V star of magnitude 6.7, making it just slightly too dim to be seen with the unaided eye, even if the star was alone.<ref name="peter">Jedicke, Peter; Levy, David H. (1992). "Regal Rigel". The New Cosmos. Waukesha: Kalmbach Books. pp. 48–53.</ref>  Because Rigel A is some 500 times as bright, Rigel B is obscured by it's companion, making observations challenging. Rigel B itself is some 2500 AU from its primary (or some 60 times the distance Pluto is from the Sun) taking 25,000 years to orbit.<ref name="illinois">http://www.astro.illinois.edu/~jkaler/sow/rigel.html</ref>

Rigel B is a class B9 V star of magnitude 6.7, making it just slightly too dim to be seen with the unaided eye, even if the star was alone.<ref name="peter">Jedicke, Peter; Levy, David H. (1992). "Regal Rigel". The New Cosmos. Waukesha: Kalmbach Books. pp. 48–53.</ref>  Because Rigel A is some 500 times as bright, Rigel B is obscured by its companion, making observations challenging. Rigel B itself is some 2500 AU from its primary (or some 60 times the distance Pluto is from the Sun) taking 25,000 years to orbit.<ref name="illinois">http://www.astro.illinois.edu/~jkaler/sow/rigel.html</ref>

Some astronomers have claimed that Rigel B itself is actually is double, and if so would more accurately be called Rigel BC.  However the idea of Rigel B being a double star in itself is still highly controversial, with proponents unable to repeatedly duplicate their initial results.<ref name="peter">Jedicke, Peter; Levy, David H. (1992). "Regal Rigel". The New Cosmos. Waukesha: Kalmbach Books. pp. 48–53.</ref>

Some astronomers have claimed that Rigel B itself is actually is double, and if so would more accurately be called Rigel BC.  However the idea of Rigel B being a double star in itself is still highly controversial, with proponents unable to repeatedly duplicate their initial results.<ref name="peter">Jedicke, Peter; Levy, David H. (1992). "Regal Rigel". The New Cosmos. Waukesha: Kalmbach Books. pp. 48–53.</ref>