Libra the Scales

constellation · zodiac · stars

The scales constellation. Libra's name comes from Latin and means weighing scales, which is why this constellation looks like a balance or scale. It's one of the twelve zodiac constellations that astrologers use.

Faint but findable. Libra doesn't have any super bright first magnitude stars, which makes it trickier to spot than some other constellations. But if you look between the constellations Virgo and Scorpius, you can find it in the southern part of the night sky.

Beta Librae shines brightest. The brightest star in Libra is called Beta Librae, also known by its Arabic name Zubeneschamali. Even though it's the brightest star in this constellation, it's still not that bright compared to stars in other parts of the sky.

Planets around distant stars. Three different star systems within Libra have been discovered to have planets orbiting around them. These exoplanets are very far away, but astronomers can detect them using special telescopes.