Lyra (abbreviation: Lyr), the Lyre of Orpheus, is a small but bright northern constellation located between Cygnus to the east, Hercules to the south and west, and Draco to the north. Aside from its several star attractions, Lyra also boasts the most famous of planetary nebulae, the Ring Nebula, and M56 (NGC 6779), a globular cluster visible with binoculars (magnitude 8.2; diameter 7.1 arcminutes; distance 45,000 light-years; RA 19h 16.6m, Dec +30° 11'). 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 (° ' ")
Alpha (Vega)	0.03	0.58	A0Va	25	18 36 56	+38 47 01
Gamma (Sulaphat)	3.25	-3.20	B9III	635	18 58 56	+32 41 22
Beta (Sheliak)	3.52	-3.64	B7Ve+A8p	882	18 50 05	+33 21 46
Epsilon	4.67	1.18		162
Epsilon1	4.67		A4V		18 44 20	+39 40 15
Epsilon2	5.14		A8Vn		18 44 23	+39 36 46

 

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