The WGSN decided to attribute proper names to individual stars rather than entire multiple systems.

Consequently, the Chinese name for Zeta Sagittarii itself is 斗宿一 (Dǒu Sù yī, English: the First Star of Dipper).

[4] It is moving away from the Solar System with a radial velocity of 22 km s−1,[5] and some one million years ago, came within 11 pc (36 ly) of the Sun.

[6] Zeta Sagittarii Aa and Ab form an inner pair with an orbital period estimated to be roughly one month and a separation 0.3 au.

[6] Based upon data obtained by the Hipparcos mission, Zeta Sagittarii was predicted to be the brightest star in the night sky around 1.2 million years ago, peaking with an apparent magnitude of −2.74.