Libra Constellation

Libra, the Scales, holds a unique place in the zodiac: it is the only constellation represented by an object rather than a person or animal. Its faint quadrangle of stars once formed the outstretched claws of neighboring Scorpius before Roman astronomers split them off into a symbol of balance and justice, and today Libra stands as a fitting emblem of equilibrium — fittingly faint and understated, with no star brighter than magnitude 2.6.

Libra at a Glance

• AbbreviationLib
• Genitive FormLibrae
• MeaningThe Scales
• Constellation FamilyZodiac
• Area538 sq. degrees (29th largest of 88)
• Right Ascension14h 15m – 16h 00m
• Declination-8.2° to -29.9°
• Brightest StarZubeneschamali (magnitude 2.61)
• Best Evening ViewingJune, visible 65°N to 90°S
• Sun's Actual TransitOctober 30 – November 23 (astrology: September 23 – October 22)

Mythology and History

In earlier Greek tradition, the stars of Libra were simply the Chelae, or "claws," of the Scorpion, with no independent identity of their own. Roman astronomers reimagined the claws as the scales of justice, closely tying the new constellation to neighboring Virgo, often identified with Astraea, the goddess of justice, said to hold the scales in her hand as she weighs the fates and deeds of mortals. Some traditions instead connect the scales to the Egyptian goddess Maat, who weighed the hearts of the dead against the feather of truth. Libra's stars even carry Arabic names — Zubenelgenubi ("southern claw") and Zubeneschamali ("northern claw") — that preserve the memory of its earlier life as part of the Scorpion.

Notable Stars in Libra

Zubeneschamali, a blue-white star of magnitude 2.61 roughly 185 light-years from Earth, is the brightest point of light in Libra and has occasionally been described, somewhat controversially, as the only naked-eye star with a distinctly greenish tint, though most observers still see it as white. Zubenelgenubi, slightly fainter, is a wide double star that binoculars split easily into two separate points of light, a satisfying target for beginning stargazers.

Deep-Sky Objects

Libra has no Messier objects and is sparse in bright deep-sky targets, but NGC 5897, a loose and sprawling globular cluster of ancient stars roughly 40,000 light-years distant, rewards patient observers with mid-sized telescopes under dark skies.

• NGC 5897 — a loose, sprawling globular cluster of ancient stars roughly 40,000 light-years away, faint but well-resolved through mid-sized telescopes

Neighboring Constellations and How to Find It

Libra sits between Virgo to the west and Scorpius to the east, and its faint quadrangle shape is easiest to trace by first locating bright red Antares in Scorpius and scanning slightly northwest. It climbs highest in the evening sky around June, and needs a dark, clear night to stand out from its surroundings. Libra borders Virgo, Serpens Caput, Scorpius, Lupus, Centaurus, Hydra, and Ophiuchus.

Libra is also associated with the May Librids meteor shower, visible to observers who track where these annual displays radiate from.