Lyra

Lyra star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).

One of the 88 IAU constellations.

Cyg, Lyr, Del, Aql and Sge on the Kugel Globe (1st century BCE), SMH 2024.

Etymology and History

The Greek constellation ...

Origin of Constellation

Greco-Roman

Ovid, Fasti 1

[315] Should the Nones be at hand, showers discharged from sable clouds will be your sign, at the rising of the Lyre.

[653] When the seventh sun, reckoned from that day, shall have set in the sea, the Lyre will shine no longer anywhere in the sky.

[655] After the setting of that constellation (the Lyre), the fire that glitters in the middle of the Lion’s breast will be sunk below the horizon at nightfall.

Ovid. Fasti. Translated by Frazer, James George. Loeb Classical Library Volume. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1931.

Almagest Δύρα.

id	Greek (Heiberg 1898)	English (Toomer 1984)	ident.
	Λόρας ἀστερισμός.	Constellation of Lyra
1	ὁ λαμπρὸς ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀστράκου καλούμευος Δύρα.	The bright star on the shell, called Lyra	alf Lyr
2	τῶν παρακειμένων αὐτῷ β συνεχῶν ὁ βόρειος	The northernmost of the 2 stars lying near the latter, close together	eps Lyr
3	ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν.	The southernmost of them	zet Lyr
4	ὁ τούτοις ἐπόμενος καὶ μέσος τῆς ἐκφύσεως τῶν κεράτωυ	The one to the rear of these, in between the points where the horns [of the lyre] are attached	del Lyr
5	τῶν ἐν τῷ πρὸς ἀνατολὴν τοῦ ὀστράκου β συνεχῶν ὁ βόρειος.	The northernmost of the 2 stars close together in the region to the east of the shell	eta Lyr
6	ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν	The southernmost of them	tet Lyr
	τῶν ἐν τῷ ξυγώματι προηγουμένων β ὁ βορειότερος.	The northernmost of the two advance stars in the bridge	bet Lyr
	ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν	The southernmost of them	nu Lyr
	τῶν ἐν τῷ ζυγώματι ἐπομένων β ὁ βορειότερος αὐτῶν.	The northernmost of the two rear stars in the bridge	gam Lyr
	ὁ ροτιώτερος αὐτῶν.	The southernmost of them	lam Lyr
	ἀστέρες ἱ, ὥρ α μεγέθους ἄ, γ’ β, δ’ ὅ	10 stars, I of the first magnitude, 2 of the third, 7 of the fourth

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 

  Lyra in Bayer (1603)

• 

  Lyra in Hevelius (1690)

• 

  Lyra in Flamsteed (1776)

• 

  Lyra in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).

• 

  Lyra in Bode (1801)

• 

  Lyra in Hall (1825)

Mythology

• 

  Ainter of Agora 393 - ARV extra - standing boy with lyra and hare - Athens Agora Museum

• 

  Achilles Painter ARV 990 41 youth with lyra

• 

  Cartellino Painter - ARV 452 5 - youth with lyra - Athens NAM 12803

• 

  symbol of an ancient lyra

• 

  symbol of an ancient lyra

• 

  Kalymna - 560-540 BC - silver stater - head of warrior - lyra - Berlin MK BM 18200148

• 

  Statue of Erato (with lyre)

References

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)