Libra, the Scales, is a zodiac constellation between Virgo and Scorpius, the only sign of the zodiac that is an object rather than a living creature.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 6 |
|---|---|
| nearest star of the figure | Zubenelgenubi, 75.8 light-years (23.2 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Tau Librae, 367 light-years (112 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 4.8 × farther than the nearest |
| zodiac | ♎ the ecliptic runs through it |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Libra
Libra’s stars were once the claws of the scorpion: Ptolemy listed them as the Claws, and the names of its two brightest stars still say so. Zubenelgenubi means the southern claw and Zubeneschamali the northern claw. The idea of a balance is also ancient, and in time the scales became a constellation of their own. The Sun passes through Libra each year, so the planets and the Moon cross it too.
None of its stars is very bright. Zubeneschamali is a hot blue-white star, and Zubenelgenubi is a wide double that binoculars split easily. Brachium and Zubenelhakrabi complete the beam of the balance. Libra is best seen in the evening in late northern spring and early summer, low in the south from Europe and high from the southern hemisphere.
What you see in the piece
Fly out with CONSTELLATIONS on and the scales tip: Zubenelgenubi is the nearest of the figure while Tau Librae lies several times deeper, so the beam and its pans fall apart into stars at quite different distances.
Questions
Why do the stars of Libra have names about claws?
Because they were once seen as the claws of Scorpius. Zubenelgenubi means the southern claw and Zubeneschamali the northern claw.
How far away are the stars of Libra?
The nearest star of the figure is Zubenelgenubi, 75.8 light-years (23.2 pc) away, and the farthest is Tau Librae, 367 light-years (112 pc), 4.8 × farther.