Lyra, the Harp

Associated with the Greek musician and poet Orpheus, Lyra is a tiny constellation that only takes up 286 square degrees. It represents the musical instrument called the lyre, very similar to the standard harp. Thus, this constellation’s name is often switched between the harp and the lyre as Lyra in Latin means either.

Lyra contains six officially named stars: Aladfar, Sheliak, Sulafat, Vega, Xihe, and Chasoň. Vega is the fifth brightest star in the sky and the second brightest in the northern hemisphere.

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NAME: The Harp

AREA (in square degrees): 286.476

QUADRANT: NQ4

VISIBLE BETWEEN LATITUDES: 90°N – 40°S