K Puppis
star in the constellation Puppis

k Puppis (k Pup, k Puppis) is a Bayer designation given to an optical double star in the constellation Puppis, the two components being k1 Puppis and k2 Puppis.
Bayer designation
Note that the Bayer designation for this star is "k" not "kappa" (κ). In Bayer's original Uranometria, k Puppis was listed as ρ (rho) Navis. When Lacaille broke apart the large constellation Argo Navis into Carina, Puppis, and Vela, he re-designated the stars with Greek letters in a single sequence across all three constellations. Additionally, Lacaille used Latin letters for many additional stars. κ (kappa) is in the constellation of Vela and so there is no kappa in Puppis. The confusion also extends to the proper name Markab which properly applies to κ Velorum (and other stars) but which has also been used for k Puppis when it is called κ Puppis.
Description
Both k1 Puppis and k2 Puppis are bright blue B-type stars of nearly equal brightness, +4.50 and +4.62, respectively. To the naked eye, the pair has a combined magnitude of +3.80. On the sky, the two stars are separated by approximately 9.9 seconds of arc along PA 318°.
“K Puppis” enters the record as star in the constellation Puppis. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Puppis, star and constellation can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“K Puppis” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Puppis, star and constellation provides the most credible route into that argument.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q66477145. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “K Puppis”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow K Puppis primary sources, K Puppis archive and Puppis research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “K Puppis”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “K Puppis” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.