In 1603 an astronomer named Johann Bayer invented a method for using constellation names to identify the stars. He used the Greek alphabet. He used alpha (the first letter of the Greek alphabet) with the constellation's name abbreviation to show the brightest star in that constellation. The second brightest was beta, and the third brightest was gamma, and so on. Today most stars in constellations are called by the Arabic name and their Bayer name, the Greek alphabet and the abbreviation for the constellation.

Here's an example of the way we identify stars in constellations today. In Aries there is Hamal (Alpha Ari), Sharatan (Beta Ari), Mesarthin (Gamma 2 Ari), and Botein (Delta Ari). The first name was given by the Arabs a long time ago and the name in parenthesis is the Bayer name showing the first four brightest stars in Aries. Alpha Ari is the brightest star, Beta Ari is the second brightest, and so on.

There is a whole group of constellations named after Mr. Bayer. These constellations are not as bright as the other constellation families.