Libra

:This article is about the constellation. Libra is also a Roman coin and weight measure, see Ancient Roman weights and measures. Libra is also a novel by Don DeLillo. LIBRA is also a political party in Croatia.

Notable features

The brightest stars in Libra form a rectangle:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• α Librae, Zubenelgenubi ("southern claw"), a visual binary;
• β Librae, Zubeneschamali ("northern claw");
• γ Librae, Zubenelakrab ("scorpion's claw");
• σ Librae, an eclipsing variable.

α and β Librae are the scales' balance beam, and γ and σ are the weighing pans.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

σ Librae was formerly known as γ Scorpii despite being well inside the boundaries of Libra. It was not redesignated as σ Librae until 1851 (by Benjamin A. Gould).

Related Topics:
1851 - Benjamin A. Gould

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~