<h2>Arabic Moon Stations</h2>
<p>The Arabic Moon stations sky culture describes the 28 sky areas chosen in ancient Arabia to define the daily location of the moon during its lunar month trip around the sky. The sun also passes through these stations spending around 13 to 14 days in the neighborhood of each station, completing 27 x 13 + 14 (One of the stations is assigned 14 days) = 365 days in its yearly trip around the 28 stations.</p>
<p>Each station is recognized by a star or a group of stars.</p>
<p>This system is used mainly to define the agricultural calender in the region. It is also used to describe the weather status and to advice on health practices during the time of each "station". The time of the station begins when its stars starts to rise before the sun.</p>
<p>An example of this calender for the station of Thurayya (Pleiades) which is the 13 days starting at the 7th of June:</p>
<p><ul>
<lh>Agriculture</lh>
<li>Time for maize and pumpkin planting
<li>Stop vine irrigation when grapes begin to take its colours
<li>During this time over-irrigation or under-irrigation can be harmful to trees
</ul>
</p>
<p>
<ul>
<lh>Weather</lh>
<li>North wind called "Al-Bawarih" continues
<li>Beginning of hot climate and hot winds
<li>Average low night temperature is 25 degrees and average high day temperature is 43 degrees
</ul>
</p>
<p>
<ul>
<lh>Other</lh>
<li>Good time for pearling (collecting pearl oysters).
<li>Wounds heal faster during this time
<li>Water in wells goes deeper in the ground
<li>Spring insects begin to disappear
</ul>
</p>
<h3>The 28 stations</h3>
<OL>
<li>Al-Shartain (The two signs) composed of the 3 stars: α Ari (Hamal), β Ari (Sheratan) and γ<sub>2</sub> Ari (Mesarthim)
<li>Al-Botain (The small belly [of the little ram]) composed of the 3 stars: ε Ari, δ Ari (Botein), and ρ<sub>3</sub> Ari
<li>Al-Thurayya (Pleiades) composed of the Pleiades cluster
<li>Al-Debran (The Follower [of the pleiades]) composed of the single star α_Tau (Aldebaran) and bright strs of the Hyades
<li>Al-Hekaah (The mark on the horse side) composed of the three stars on the head of Orion: λ Ori (Meissa), φ<sub>1</sub> Ori and φ<sub>2</sub> Ori
<li>Al-Hanaah (The bend in the neck of a camel) composed of the 2 stars: γ Gem (Alhena) and ξ Gem
<li>Al-Thira-a (The arm of the lion)composed of the 2 stars of the twin heads: α Gem (Castor) and β Gem (Pollux)
<li>Al-Nuthrah (The tip of the nose of the lion) composed of the Praesepe cluster and the 2 stars: γ Cnc (Asellus Borealis) and δ Cnc (Asellus Australis)
<li>Al-Tarf (The glance of the lion) composed of the 2 stars: κ Cnc and λ Leo (Alterf)
<li>Al-Jabhah (The forehead of the lion) composed of 4 stars: ζ Leo (Adhafera), γ<sub>1</sub> Leo (Algieba), η Leo and α Leo (Regulus)
<li>Al-Zubrah (The mane of the lion) composed of the 2 stars: δ Leo (Zosma) and θ Leo (Chertan)
<li>Al-Surfah (The change to colder weather) composed of one star: β Leo (Denebola)
<li>Al-Uwwa (The turn) composed of 5 stars: β Vir (Zavijava), η Vir (Zaniah), γ Vir (Porrima), δ Vir and ε Vir (Vindemiatrix)
<li>Al-Simak (The unarmed high one) composed of the star α Vir (Spica)
<li>Al-Ghafr (The hair on the tail of the lion) composed of 3 stars: ι Vir (Syrma), κ Vir and λ Vir
<li>Al-Zubana (The claws of the scorpion) composed of the 2 stars: α<sub>2</sub> Lib (Zubenelgenubi) and β Lib (Zubeneschamali)
<li>Al-Ikleel (The ornamented headband) composed of the 3 stars: β<sub>1</sub> Sco (Acrab), δ Sco (Dschubba) and π Sco, but according to Al-Sufi the 3 stars are: θ Lib, κ Lib and 42 Lib
<li>Al-Qalb (The heart of the scorpion) composed of the star α Sco (Antares)
<li>Al-Shawlah (The sting of the scorpion) composed of the 2 stars: λ Sco (Shaula) and υ Sco (Lesath)
<li>Al-Naayem (The Ostriches) is the area around the stars: ζ Sgr (Ascella), φ Sgr, δ Sgr (Kaus Media) and ε Sgr (Kaus Australis)
<li>Al-Baldah (The empty area) is the area where there are no stars between Al-Naayem and Saad Al-Thabih
<li>Saad Al-Thabih (The lucky star of the Slaughterer) composed of the 2 stars: α<sub>1</sub> Cap (Algedi) and β Cap (Dabih)
<li>Saad Bulaa (The Lucky star of the swallower) composed of the 3 stars: ν Aqr, μ Aqr and ε Aqr (Albali)
<li>Saad Al-Saud (The lucky stars of the lucky ones) composed of the 3 stars: β Aqr (Sadalsuud), ξ Aqr and λ Cap
<li>Saad Al-Akhbiah (The lucky stars of the tent dwellers) composed of the 4 stars: γ Aqr (Sadachbia), π Aqr, ζ<sub>2</sub> Aqr and η Aqr
<li>Al-Mugaddam (The front side of the bucket for water pouring) composed of the 2 stars: α And (Alpheratz) and γ Peg (Algenib)
<li>Al-Muakhar (The back side of the bucket for water pouring) composed of the 2 stars: β Peg (Sheat) and α Peg (Markab)
<li>Al-Risha (The rope of the well bucket) composed of the star β And (Mirach)
</OL>

<h3>Star Names</h3>
<p>The primary reference of star names in this sky culture is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Fixed_Stars" class='external text' rel="nofollow">Book of Fixed Stars</a>" by  Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (Azophi) around 964 AD. </p>
<h3>Author</h3>
<p>This sky culture and the compilation of Arabic star names were authored by: Khalid AlAjaji.</p>