Libra
The constellation in depth
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Data
- IAU abbreviation
- Lib
- Genitive
- Librae
- Area
- 538.1 sq °
- Catalogue stars
- 86
- Of those, named
- 4
- Introduced by
- Ptolemy, the Almagest, 2nd century
- Brightest star
- Zubeneschamali · 2.61ᵐ
Stars of the constellation
| Stars of the constellation | Apparent magnitude | Distance | Spectral class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zubeneschamali | 2.61 | 160 light years | B8V |
| Zubenelgenubi | 2.75 | 77 light years | A3IV |
| Brachium | 3.29 | 292 light years | M3-III |
| Zubenelhakrabi | 3.91 | 152 light years | G8.5III |
History and myth
The Scales are the only zodiac constellation depicting an object rather than a living thing. They were originally the claws of the Scorpion, which is still audible in the star names: Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali, "the southern claw" and "the northern claw".