Aquila: The Eagle
Pronunciation: ACK-will-uh/uh-QUILL-uh
Aquila (here with the now defunct Antinous) as depicted by Johannes Hevelius in his Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia (1687). Source image provided by www.RareMaps.com — Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.
| Aquila Constellation Profile | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation: Aql | Genitive: Aquilae |
| Origin: Ancient | Location: Celestial Equator |
| Best View (North): Summer | Best View (South): |
| Bordering Constellations: Sagitta, Hercules, Ophiuchus, Serpens Cauda, Scutum, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Delphinus | |
The Myth Behind the Constellation Aquila
In Greek mythology, Aquila was the Aetos Dios, the “Eagle of Zeus”. This magnificent bird was responsible for holding Zeus’s thunderbolts and occasionally running errands. One of these errands was to bring back the beautiful Prince of Troy, Ganymede, to serve as Zeus’s cupbearer.Aquila Constellation Points of Interest
Interesting stars and objects.Bright Stars in Aquila
These are the stars in Aquila with a minimum magnitude of 3.0.| Name | Bayer Name | Magnitude | Color | Luminosity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altair | Alpha Aquilae | 0.76 | White | 12 suns | 16.8 ly |
| Tarazed | Gamma Aquilae | 2.72 | Yellow | 8622 suns | 463 ly |
| Deneb el Okab | Zeta Andromedae | 2.99 | White | 43 suns | 83 ly |