Libra
The sky's only scales, softly glowing
Best on June–August evenings · southern sky.
Libra is the only constellation in the zodiac representing an inanimate object — a balance scale — and it sits tucked between bright Scorpius to the east and Virgo to the west along the ecliptic. Its stars are modest but distinctive, forming a rough quadrilateral that northern observers can track down on summer evenings in the low southern sky.
How to find it
On summer evenings, face south and find the curve of bright orange Antares in Scorpius — Libra sits just to its west, between Scorpius and the sprawling shape of Virgo. The four main stars form a slightly lopsided quadrilateral; once you know the shape, it becomes a reliable landmark along the zodiac.
Brightest stars
Zubeneschamali (β Lib) leads at magnitude 2.61 and is notably one of the few stars that observers have long described as having a faint greenish tint. Close behind is Zubenelgenubi (α² Lib) at magnitude 2.75, a wide double star splittable with the naked eye on a clear night.
Worth seeing
Zubenelgenubi is the real treat here — look carefully and you can split it into two stars with the naked eye, making it one of the more satisfying unaided-eye doubles along the zodiac.
Frequently asked
When is Libra visible?
Summer evenings, roughly June through August, when it rides the southern sky for northern hemisphere observers. Southern hemisphere viewers see it higher and to the north.
What are the brightest stars in Libra?
Zubeneschamali (magnitude 2.61) is the brightest, followed by Zubenelgenubi (2.75) and Brachium (3.29). The names come from Arabic and refer to the claws of the scorpion — a reminder that Libra's stars were once counted as part of Scorpius.
Which hemisphere is Libra best seen from?
It's accessible from both hemispheres, but southern hemisphere observers get the better view since it rides higher in their sky. Northern observers catch it low in the south on summer evenings.
Nearby constellations
Scorpius · Serpens · Ophiuchus · Virgo · Centaurus · Corvus · Boötes · Triangulum Australe