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