Aquila

Aquila is a constellation on the celestial equator easily recognized by Altair, which forms one vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism. Altair is one of the closest visible stars at 16.7 light-years away. The Milky Way passes through Aquila, providing rich star fields.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Aquila is best observed during August. It is located in the NQ4 quadrant and is primarily visible from the both hemispheres. The constellation contains 10 main stars forming its asterism, with 65 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Altair.

Mythology & History

In Greek mythology, Aquila represents the eagle that carried Zeus's thunderbolts and abducted Ganymede to serve as cup-bearer to the gods. The eagle was also sent to torment Prometheus, chained to a mountain for giving fire to humanity. The constellation has been associated with eagles across many ancient cultures.