Lyra

Lyra (/ˈlaɪərə/; Latin for lyre, from Greek λύρα) is a small constellation. It is one of 48 listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Its principal star, Vega (Abhijit in Sanskrit), a corner of the Summer Triangle, is one of the brightest stars in the sky. Beginning at the north, Lyra is bordered by Draco, Hercules, Vulpecula, and Cygnus. Lyra is visible from the northern hemisphere from spring through autumn, and nearly overhead, in temperate latitudes, during the summer months. From the southern hemisphere, it is visible low in the northern sky during the winter months. ... Stars. Lyra's brightest stars include the following: (1) α Lyr (Vega). With an apparent brightness of 0.03m, it is the third 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. (2) β Lyr (Sheliak). A group of eclipsing binaries is named after this variable star (3.45m, spectral class B8 II), the Beta-Lyrae-stars. (3) γ Lyr (Sulafat). The main star of this multiple star system is of magnitude 3.24m and spectral class B9 III. (4) δ1 Lyr. A double star consisting of a blue-white star of mag. 6m and a semi-regular red giant. (5) ε Lyr. A well-known quadruple star, also called "the Double Double" because each of the two brighter components is a double star. (6) ζ Lyr. Another double star, which can be split using binoculars. (7) RR Lyr lends its name to a class of pulsating variable, RR Lyrae-stars. (8) DM Lyr is a dwarf nova, namely a close binary consisting of a white dwarf and a low mass star where the former strips off material from the latter, forming an accretion disc which explodes brightly from time to time. (9) Kepler-37 - star with smallest extrasolar planet known so far (February 2013). (10) Kepler-62 - star with a five-planet system discovered by Kepler spacecraft in April 2013. ... Deep-sky objects. M57, also known as the "Ring Nebula" and NGC 6720, has a diameter of one light-year and is at a distance of 2,000 light-years from Earth. ... It can be found halfway between Gamma Lyrae and Beta Lyrae. ... Kuiper 90 is also known as 17 Lyrae C (Gliese 747AB), a red dwarf system near 17 Lyrae, but 26 light years from the Sun. Its period is 5 years, and its magnitude is 11.26 in the V band. ... BD +36 3317, a white star in the young open cluster Stephenson 1, was discovered as a binary eclipsing system by Violat-Bordonau in 2008; its period is 4.30216 days; its other name is VSX J185422.2+365107. ... NGC 6745 is an irregular spiral galaxy in Lyra that is at a distance of 208 million light-years. Several million years ago, it collided with a smaller galaxy, which created a region filled with young, hot, blue stars. [Lyra. Wikipedia]