Lyra

Template:Infobox Constellation The constellation Lyra (Latin for Lyre) already formed part of Ptolemy's list of 48 constellations and is also one of the 88 modern constellations approved by the IAU. Lyra is not very big but still easy to find because its principal star, Vega, is also a vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism.

Beginning at the north, Lyra is surrounded by the Dragon Draco, the Greek hero Hercules, the Little Fox Vulpecula and Cygnus the swan.

Contents

1 Notable features 2 Notable deep sky objects 3 Mythology 4 Lyra in fiction 5 Stars 6 External links

Notable features

Here are some of Lyra's brighter stars:

• α Lyr (Vega): with an apparent brightness of 0.03m this is the second brightest star of the northern hemisphere (after Arcturus) and the fifth brightest star in all; its spectral class is A0 V and it lies at a distance of only 25.3 ly. Actually it is a multiple star system (5 components). It was the first star to be photographed.
• β Lyr (Sheliak): a group of eclipsing binaries is named after this variable star (3.45m, spectral class B8 II), the Beta-Lyrae-stars.
• γ Lyr (Sulafat): the main star of this multiple star system is of magnitude 3.24m and spectral class B9 III
• δ Lyr: a double star consisting of a blue-white star of mag. 6m and a semi-regular red giant varying between 4m and 5m.
• ε Lyr: a well-known quadruple star, also called "the Double Double" because each of the two brighter components is itself a close double.
• ζ Lyr: another double star which can be split using binoculars.
• RR Lyr: lent its name to a class of pulsating variable stars, the RR Lyrae-stars.

Notable deep sky objects

• M56: a rather loose globular cluster at a distance of approximately 32,900 ly with a diameter of about 85 ly. Its apparent brightness is 8.3m.
• M57: also known as the "Ring Nebula", this is one of the best known of all planetary nebulae; its integrated magnitude is 8.8m; it is thought to be between 6,000 and 8,000 years old as we see it today.

Mythology

Older maps of the sky show a bird, especially a vulture (Vultur cadens), in this position, since in early times the constellation and its stars, were taken to resemble one [1] (http://borghetto.astrofili.org/costellazioni/lyra.JPG). As such, together with other constellations in the Zodiacal sign of Sagittarius (specifically, Cygnus, Aquila and Sagittarius itself), Lyra may be a significant part of the origin of the myth of the Stymphalian Birds, one of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.

By taking into account nearly parallel lines of fainter stars in the centre of the constellation, it appears to resemble a lyre, and consequently lyra gradually shifted from being considered a vulture to being considered a lyre; for a while, it was even regarded as a vulture holding a lyre. Associated with its identity as a lyre, Lyra was considered to be the lyre used by Orpheus to produce music that charmed even Hades, and which was placed into the stars upon his death.

Lyra in fiction

The constellation Lyra is featured in Gene Brewer's K-PAX trilogy, in which a patient in a Manhattan mental institution claims to be from the planet K-PAX in the constellation Lyra.

In the Star Trek fictional universe, Sheliak (ß Lyrae) is the home system of an alien race with the same name, which views humans and other humanoids as inferior species (Star Trek: The Next Generation: "The Ensigns of Command").

Lyra is also the name of one of the two protagonists in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The character's full name is Lyra Belacqua, but her surname is changed to Silvertongue in the course of the trilogy. She is the daughter of Asriel Belacqua and Marisa Coulter.

Stars

Stars with proper names:

• Vega [Wega] or Fidis or Harp Star (3/α Lyr) 0.03

  < النسر الواقع an-nasr[u] al-wāqi^c The swooping eagle

• Sheliak [Shelyak, Shiliak] (10/β Lyr) 3.52 – eclipsing binary, β Lyr variable prototype
• Sulafat [Sulaphat] (14/γ Lyr) 3.25

  < سلحفاة sulaħfa[t] Turtle [harps were made of tortoise shell]

• ε Lyr – "Double double"

• 4/ε¹ Lyr – double 4.67, 6.02
• 5/ε² Lyr – double 4.59, 5.37

• Aladfar (20/η Lyr) 4.43

  الأظفر al-´uz̧fur The talons (of the swooping eagle) [with μ Lyr]

• Alathfar [Al Athfar] (2/μ Lyr) 5.11

  الأظفر al-´uz̧fur The talons (of the swooping eagle) [with η Lyr]

Stars with Bayer designations:

11/δ¹ Lyr 5.58; 12/δ² Lyr 4.22; 6/ζ¹ Lyr 4.34; 7/ζ² Lyr 5.73; 21/θ Lyr 4.35; 18/ι Lyr 5.25; 1/κ Lyr 4.33; 15/λ Lyr 4.94; 9/ν Lyr 5.22; 8/ν¹ Lyr 5.93

Stars with Flamsteed designations:

13/R Lyr 4.20 – variable; 16 Lyr 5.00; 17 Lyr 5.20; 19 Lyr 5.93

Other notable stars:

• RR Lyr 7-8 – pulsating variable, RR Lyr variable prototype
• GSC 02652-01324 (2MASS 19040985+3637574) 11.4 – has a transiting planet

Template:ConstellationsListedByPtolemy Template:ConstellationList

External links

Template:Commons

• The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Lyra (http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/lyra/)de:Leier (Sternbild)

es:Lyra fr:Lyre (constellation) ga:An Lir ko:거문고자리 id:Lyra it:Lyra la:Lyra nl:Lyra ja:こと座 pl:Lutnia (gwiazdozbiór) pt:Lyra fi:Lyyra (tähdistö) th:กลุ่มดาวพิณ zh:天琴座