While the Indian Star System or Hindu Nakshatra system is a scientifically designed one, some doubt whether the 27 nakshatras physically exist in the sky. They do exist. For the benefit of the western readers, the 27 nakshatras and western equivalents is given below. The twenty seven nakshatras and the respective western equivalent are given below:

1) Ashwini Alpha, Beta Aries
2) Bharani No 28,29,41 Taurus
3) Krittika - Pleiades
4) Rohini Aldebaran Hyades, Alpha, Theta, Gama, Delta and Epsilon Taurus
5) Mrigashirsha Lambda, Phi 1, Phi 2, Orion
6) Aardraa Betelgeaux Alpha Orion
7) Punarvasu Castor, Pollux with Procyon Alpha, Beta, Gemini-Alpha Canis Minor respectively
8) Pushya Gama, Delta and Theta of Cancer
9) Ashlesha Delta, Epsilon, Eta, Rho and Zeta Hydra
10) Maagha Alpha, Ela, Gama, Zeta My and Epsilon Leonis
11) Poorva Phalkuni - Delta and Theta Leo
12) Utra Phalkuni Beta and 93 Leo
13) Hasta Delta, Gama, Eta, Virgo
14) Chitraa Spica, Alpha Virgo
15) Swaati Arcturus Alpha Bootes
16) Vishaakha - Alpha, Beta etc Libra
17) Anuraadha Beta, Delta, Pi -Scorpia
18) Jyestha Antares Alpha, Sigma Tau Scorpio
19) Mula Scorpio, tail stars
20) Poorvaashadaa Delta and Epsilon Sagittarius
21) Uttaraashaada - Zeta and Omicron Sagittarius
22) Shraavanaa Altair Alpha Aquila
23) Dhanishtha - Delphinus
24) Shatabhisak Lambda Aquarius
25) Poorva Bhaadrapada Alpha and Beta Pegasus
26) Uttara Bhaadrapada Gama Pagasus and Alpha Andromeda
27) Revathi Zeta Piscum

The above stars can be seen with the help of the star maps. The Vedic Rishis (seers) have very clearly indicated the size and shape of the stars. There were a number of books available in the past. The Nakshatra vidya or the Science of the Stars or descriptive Astronomy is lost due to the continuous invasions on India. However Vedic Scholars are able to find out the real science now and we may hope the full benefit of this science will be passed on to the future generation. In our next article we will look into the wonders of the stars.