History of the star: An orange star in the beak of the Crow Corvus. The Arabic name for Alchita or Alchibah is Al-Khiba' (1), "The tent". Al Chiba is from the Desert title for the whole Arabic figure (the Tent); but Ulug Beg and the Arabian astronomers designated it as Al Minhar al Ghurab, the Raven's Beak. Although lettered first, it now is so much less brilliant than the four following stars (beta, gamma, delta and epsilon) that some consider it as having decreased since Bayer's day and perhaps changed in color, for Al Sufi called it red.

[Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinchley Allen, 1889]. 

The astrological influences of the constellation: According to Ptolemy, Corvus is like Mars and Saturn. It is said to give craftiness, greediness, ingenuity, patience, revengefulness, passion, selfishness, lying, aggressiveness and material instincts, and sometimes causes its natives to become agitators. (Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology , Vivian E. Robson, 1923)

"Corvinus, winner of spoils and a name, aided in combat by a bird which hides beneath a bird's exterior the godhead of Phoebus " [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, p.67.]