Libra
The Scales
A dim zodiac constellation shaped like a lopsided kite, the only zodiac sign that is an object rather than a creature.
- Best season
- Summer
- Best months
- June through August, low in the south on summer evenings
- Visibility
- Visible from everywhere in the United States, low in the south from northern states
- Abbreviation
- Lib
How to find it
- Look west of Scorpius's red star, Antares, for a lopsided kite shape with its brightest star at the top.
- The two brightest stars have unusual names: Zubenelgenubi means 'southern claw' and Zubeneschamali means 'northern claw,' from the time when Libra was part of Scorpius.
Brightest stars
- Zubeneschamali (the brightest star in the scales)
- Zubenelgenubi (a wide naked-eye double star)
What to look for
- Zubenelgenubi as a pair of stars when you use binoculars.
- Zubeneschamali's color, often described as slightly greenish.
Binocular and telescope targets
- Zubenelgenubi: a wide double star that shows as a pair in binoculars
Using it to find other things
- Libra sits between Virgo and Scorpius. From Spica in Virgo, look left and a little down.
About this constellation
Libra is a quiet constellation with no bright stars and few showpiece objects. It is useful mainly for navigating along the zodiac between Virgo and Scorpius.
Long ago, its stars were considered the claws of the neighboring Scorpion, which is why the two brightest stars still carry claw names.
Related guides
Visibility depends on your latitude, the date, and the time of night. The months above assume a typical evening from the contiguous United States, so use a planetarium app to confirm what is up tonight. Never look at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope without a proper solar filter.
Star positions: Hipparcos and Bright Star catalogues via d3-celestial (BSD-3-Clause, © 2015 Olaf Frohn).