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David

Darling

Libra

Libra constellation

Libra. © 2003 Torsten Bronger..


Libra (abbreviation: Lib), the Scales, is a faint southern constellation that is the seventh of the zodiac and the only one that is not named after a living thing. It lies between Virgo to the west and north and Ophiuchus to the east. Appropriate to its name, it once held the autumnal equinox (but no longer, thanks to precession). However, "Libra" is a more modern name, its two brightest stars once representing the outstretched claws of the Scorpion. See below for details of the constellation's brightest stars and interesting deep sky objects.

 

Stars brighter than magnitude 4.0
star vis mag abs mag spec type distance (ly) RA (h m s) Dec (° ' ")
Beta (Zubenelschamali) 2.61 -0.85 B8V 160 15 17 00 -09 22 58
Alpha-2 (Zubenelgenubi) 2.75 0.88 A3IV 77 14 50 53 -16 02 30
Sigma (Zubenalgubi) 3.25 -1.51 M3IIIa 292 15 04 04 -25 16 55
Upsilon 3.60 -0.28 K3III 194 15 37 01 -28 08 06
Tau 3.66 -2.02 B2.5V 445 15 38 39 -29 46 40
Gamma (Zubenelhakrabi) 3.91 0.56 K0III 152 15 35 32 -14 47 23

 

Constellations
Andromeda | Antlia | Apus | Aquarius | Aquila | Ara | Aries | Auriga | Bootes | Caelum | Camelopardalis | Cancer | Canes Venatici | Canis Major | Canis Minor | Capricornus | Carina | Cassiopeia | Centaurus | Cepheus | Cetus | Chamaeleon | Circinus | Columba | Coma Berenices | Corona Austrina | Corona Borealis | Corvus | Crater | Crux | Cygnus | Delphinus | Dorado | Draco | Equuleus | Eridanus | Fornax | Gemini | Grus | Hercules | Horologium | Hydra | Hydrus | Indus | Lacerta | Leo | Leo Minor | Lepus | Libra | Lupus | Lynx | Lyra | Mensa | Microscopium | Monoceros | Musca | Norma | Octans | Ophiuchus | Orion | Pavo | Pegasus | Perseus | Phoenix | Pictor | Pisces | Piscis Austrinus | Puppis | Pyxis | Reticulum | Sagitta | Sagittarius | Scorpius | Sculptor | Scutum | Serpens | Sextans | Taurus | Telescopium | Triangulum | Triangulum Australe | Tucana | Ursa Major | Ursa Minor | Vela | Virgo | Volans | Vulpecula