We flip our consideration this week to one of many sky’s smallest constellations. Excessive overhead from the UK after darkness falls, Lyra, the lyre, is straightforward to seek out because of the good white star of Vega.
The chart reveals the view going through south and looking out up in the direction of the zenith from London at 22:30 BST on 17 August.
Because the fifth-brightest star within the evening sky, Vega kinds one nook of the summer season triangle, with Deneb in Cygnus, the Swan, and Altair in Aquila, the Eagle, marking the opposite two.
Having positioned Vega, the remainder of the constellation is straightforward to hint although the celebs are a lot fainter. One of many second-century astronomer Ptolemy’s authentic 48 constellations, Lyra has the excellence of being a star sample that really appears to be like just like the determine it’s named after. It represents the harp performed by the Greek poet Orpheus.
In Greek mythology, Orpheus performed such lovely music that he may allure wild animals, transfer rocks and even affect the gods. Turning into one of many Argonauts, Orpheus’s music protected the remainder of the crew from the beguiling name of the Sirens.
Observers within the southern hemisphere may also discover Lyra on August evenings, though it stays a lot decrease within the northern sky.
