15 Interesting Aquila Constellation Facts, Myths & FAQS

Last Updated on Mar 08 2024

Learning about the different constellations can be great fun. The Aquila constellation is easy to find in the northern sky throughout the summer, so it’s a good place to start for beginners. Keep reading as we uncover several facts and myths about this ancient constellation to help you understand the night sky better.

Top 15 Aquila Constellation Facts:

1. Aquila Is Easy to Find

Many people can find the Aquila constellation by first locating the Cygnus constellation, which many know as The Swan. On a clear night, you will see The Swan flying down the Milky Way galaxy, appearing as a band of stars that almost resembles a cloud. It moves toward Aquila, which resembles a crooked cross or a plus sign.

2. Aquila Is Responsible for the Summer Triangle

The brightest stars of Aquila form the summer triangle, an asterism (constellation inside a constellation), and you can view it from early summer until late in the year.

3. Aquila Is an Ancient Constellation

Aquila is one of Ptolemy’s original 48 constellations that he cataloged around 150 A.D.

4. Aquila Is Latin for Eagle

Aquila is a Latin word meaning eagle, and the constellation represents the bird that carried Zeus’s thunderbolts. The collection of stars in the constellation resembles a bird in flight.

5. Many Cultures See the Aquila Constellation as a Bird Symbol

Ancient Egypt saw the Aquila constellation as a bird accompanying the god Horus, while the Romans called it the Flying Vulture.

6. The Aquila Constellation Has Several Double Stars

One feature that makes the Aquila constellation stand out for stargazers is that it contains several double stars, including 57 Aquilae, an orange star paired with a white one. Many beginners can spot this pair using an inexpensive telescope or even binoculars.

7. Aquila Lies in the Plane of the Milky Way

The Aquila constellation lies in the plane of the Milky Way, which means you can use it to find several faint but detectable objects, including several star clusters and planetary nebulae.

8. Aquila Is a Good Starting Point for Exploring the Night Sky

Since Aquila lies in the plane of the Milky Way, many people like to use it as a starting point for exploring the night sky. It’s an easy way to locate and observe star clusters and objects in nearby constellations, like Sagittarius, which is in the direction of the center of the galaxy.

9. Michaela Is a Large Modern Constellations

The International Astronomical Union lists Aquila as the 22^nd largest modern constellation, putting it in the top 25% regarding constellation size.

10. Aquila Is a Constellation in the Hercules Family

Aquila belongs to the Hercules family of constellations, which includes Lupus, Ara, Serpens, Crux, Hydra, Sagitta, and Hercules.

11. Aquila Is a Popular Character in Mythology

Besides the Aquila constellation representing the eagle that carried Zeus’s thunderbolts, stories also depict it as a messenger for Zeus and an eagle that helps protect Eros’s arrow. In another story, Aquila is Aphrodite in disguise.

12. Aquila Is Relatively Close to Earth

Altair is the brightest star in the Aquila constellation and the 12^th brightest star in the night sky. It’s also the closest star from the Aquila constellation and is about 16.7 light years away.

13. Aquila Contains the Largest Visible Structure

You can locate the Hercules Corona Borealis Great Wall by looking at the Ikea constellation. The structure is more than 10 billion light-years across and contains the largest concentration of galaxies that we currently can see.

14. Look to the Aquila Constellation to See Two Different Meteor Showers

Two meteor showers emanate from the Aquila constellation: the June Aquila and the Epsilon Aquila. Both are quite dim and will require optical tools to view them, but you can see the Epsilon Aquila from the 4^th to the 27^th of May every year, and as the name suggests, the June Aquila occurs throughout June.

15. You Can Find Exoplanets in the Aquila Constellation

Astronomers believe that nine of the stars in the Aquila constellation contain exoplanets, which are planets that rotate around a distant star, much like how Earth revolves around our sun. Scientists often look at these exoplanets for signs of extraterrestrial life.

Tips for Viewing the Aquila Constellation

Final Thoughts

The Aquila constellation is easy to find and looks like a bent cross or plus sign, making it a great starting point for new stargazers exploring the night sky. Since it’s part of the Milky Way plane, it contains many hard-to-find objects, like nebulae and star clusters. You even get to observe the Great Wall, the largest known visible structure in the universe at more than 10 billion light-years across.

Featured Image Credit: Aquila constellation in the night sky