- Agate (/ˈæɡɪt/) is the banded variety of chalcedony, which comes in a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The ornamental use of agate was common in Ancient Greece, in assorted jewelry and in the seal stones of Greek warriors, while bead necklaces with pierced and polished agate date back to the 3rd millennium BCE in the Indus Valley civilisation.
- Alphard (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
ALPHARD (Alpha Hydrae). Not all that well known among bright stars, but surprisingly prominent, Alphard both dominates and lies at the heart of the relatively dim constellation Hydra, the Water Serpent (the longest constellation of the sky), hence clearly deserves to be Bayer’s Alpha star.