Beta Eridani is called "Cursa", meaning 'the footstool' because it is found at the foot of Orion.

Beta Eridani is a blue-white star 89 light years away with a visual magnitude of 2.78, the brightest star of the constellation for many viewers since Achenar, alpha Eridani (a very bright 0.45) isn't visible north of Florida or Texas.

As is the case with many a great river, it begins undramatically with the fourth-magnitude lambda Eridani. It flows north to beta then turns west to omega Eridani: the source.