大陵五會與惡魔類的生物相關聯(在希臘傳統中是戈爾貢,在阿拉伯是食屍鬼),因此一般認為早在17世紀之前就知道它的光度會變化[14]。但除了古埃及的發現之外,沒有任何無可爭辯的證據證明這一點[15]。阿拉伯天文學家阿卜杜勒-拉赫曼·蘇菲在他大約於西元965年出版的《恆星之書》("Book of Fixed Stars")中,沒有提到任何恆星的變化[16]。
在2016年,國際天文學聯合會組織的IAU恆星名稱工作組(Working Group on Star Names,WGSN)[47]將恆星的正確名稱標準化和建立目錄,並在2016年7月發布第一個公報[48],包括WSGN核准的前兩批名稱的表格,就包括大陵五這顆星的名稱:Algol。它已經列入IAU的恆星名稱目錄中[49]。
在希伯來的民間傳說中,大陵五稱為Rōsh ha Sāṭān或"Satan's Head"("撒旦的頭"),正如Edmund Chilmead(英语:Edmund Chilmead)所說,他稱之為"惡魔的頭"或Rosch hassatan。大陵五的拉丁名稱從16世紀被稱為Caput Larvae(卡普特幼蟲)或"the Spectre's Head"(幽靈的頭)[46]。儘管這兩個名詞是在同一個星座裡連在一起的,但喜帕恰斯和普林尼仍將它們獨立看待[46]
^ 2.02.12.2Ducati, J. R. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system. CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2002, 2237: 0. Bibcode:2002yCat.2237....0D.
^ 3.03.1Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007–2013). VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 2009, 1: 02025. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^ 4.04.14.2Lestrade, Jean-Francois; Phillips, Robert B.; Hodges, Mark W.; Preston, Robert A. VLBI astrometric identification of the radio emitting region in Algol and determination of the orientation of the close binary. The Astrophysical Journal. 1993, 410: 808. Bibcode:1993ApJ...410..808L. ISSN 0004-637X. doi:10.1086/172798.
^ 6.06.16.26.36.46.56.66.7Baron, F.; Monnier, J. D.; Pedretti, E.; Zhao, M.; Schaefer, G.; Parks, R.; Che, X.; Thureau, N.; Ten Brummelaar, T. A.; McAlister, H. A.; Ridgway, S. T.; Farrington, C.; Sturmann, J.; Sturmann, L.; Turner, N. Imaging the Algol Triple System in the H Band with the CHARA Interferometer. The Astrophysical Journal. 2012, 752 (1): 20. Bibcode:2012ApJ...752...20B. S2CID 11110989. arXiv:1205.0754. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/752/1/20.
^Wilk, Stephen R. Mythological Evidence for Ancient Observations of Variable Stars. The Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. 1996, 24 (2): 129–33. Bibcode:1996JAVSO..24..129W.
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^Pickering, Edward C. Dimensions of the Fixed Stars, with especial reference to Binaries and Variables of the Algol type. Astronomical Register. 1881, 50 (1–2): 253–56. Bibcode:1881AReg...19..253..
^J. Stebbins. The Measurement of the Light of Stars with a Selenium Photometer with an Application to the Variation of Algol. Astrophysical Journal. 1910, 32: 185–214. Bibcode:1910ApJ....32..185S. doi:10.1086/141796.
^Meltzer, Alan S., A "Spectroscopic Investigation of Algol". Astrophysical Journal, vol. 125, (1957), p.359, BibCode:1957ApJ...125..359M
^Edgar, James S. (editor). Observer's Handbook 2020. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. ISBN9-781927-879191.
^Frank, M. G.; Whelan, D. G.; Junginger, J. C. Spectral Classification of Algol C. Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (Jaavso). 2022, 50 (1): 123. Bibcode:2022JAVSO..50..123F. arXiv:2205.06229.
^Richards, Mercedes T.; Albright, Geary E.; Bowles, Larissa M. Doppler tomography of the gas stream in short-period Algol binaries. The Astrophysical Journal. January 1995, 438: L103. Bibcode:1995ApJ...438L.103R. ISSN 0004-637X. doi:10.1086/187726(英语).
^Richards, Mercedes T.; Waltman, Elizabeth B.; Ghigo, Frank D.; Richards, Donald St. P. Statistical Analysis of 5 Year Continuous Radio Flare Data from β Persei, V711 Tauri, δ Librae, and UX Arietis. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. August 2003, 147 (2): 337–361. Bibcode:2003ApJS..147..337R. ISSN 0067-0049. doi:10.1086/375835(英语).
^Lestrade, Jean-Francois; Phillips, Robert B.; Hodges, Mark W.; Preston, Robert A. VLBI astrometric identification of the radio emitting region in Algol and determination of the orientation of the close binary. The Astrophysical Journal. June 1993, 410: 808. Bibcode:1993ApJ...410..808L. ISSN 0004-637X. doi:10.1086/172798(英语).
^Wecht, Kristen. Determination of Mass Loss and Mass Transfer Rates of Algol (Beta Persei) from the Analysis of Absorption Lines in the UV Spectra Obtained by the IUE Satellite. 2006. arXiv:astro-ph/0611855.
^Garcia-Sanchez, J.; Preston, R. A.; Jones, D. L.; Lestrade, J.-F.; et al. A Search for Stars Passing Close to the Sun. The First Results of Hipparcos and Tycho. Kyoto, Japan: IAU. 1997-08-25. Bibcode:1997IAUJD..14E..51G.