The Zodiac Of the stars' signs
written by Amity Fox
A Text Book written by Amity mae ivy maenas Fox
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
15
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SEVENTH, LIBRA THE WEIGHING SCALES
Chapter 9
Libra:
September 21– October 22
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The constellation’s name means “the weighing scales” in Latin, and Libra is usually depicted as the scales held by the Greek goddess of justice Dike (or Astraea), represented by the neighbouring Virgo constellation. Libra is the only zodiac constellation that represents an object, not an animal or a character from mythology. The four brightest stars in the constellation form a quadrangle. Alpha and Beta Librae mark the scales’ balance beam, and Gamma and Sigma Librae represent the weighing pans. Libra is also home to HD 140283, popularly known as Methuselah, currently the oldest known star in the universe.
Constellation: It is fairly faint, with no first magnitude stars, and lies between Virgo to the west and Scorpius to the east. Beta Librae, also known as Zubeneschamali, is the brightest star in the constellation. Three star systems are known to have planets.
Libra was known in Babylonian astronomy as MUL Zibanu (the "scales" or "balance"), or alternatively as the Claws of the Scorpion. The scales were held sacred to the sun god Shamash, who was also the patron of truth and justice.
It was also seen as the Scorpion's Claws in ancient Greece.
Since these times, Libra has been associated with law, fairness and civility. In Arabic zubānā means "scorpion's claws", and likely similarly in other Semitic languages: this resemblance of words may be why the Scorpion's claws became the Scales,
It has also been suggested that the scales are an allusion to the fact that when the sun entered this part of the ecliptic at the autumnal equinox, the days and nights are equal.
Libra's status as the location of the equinox earned the equinox the name "First Point of Libra", though this location ceased to coincide with the constellation in 730 because of the precession of the equinoxes.
September 21– October 22
air
The constellation’s name means “the weighing scales” in Latin, and Libra is usually depicted as the scales held by the Greek goddess of justice Dike (or Astraea), represented by the neighbouring Virgo constellation. Libra is the only zodiac constellation that represents an object, not an animal or a character from mythology. The four brightest stars in the constellation form a quadrangle. Alpha and Beta Librae mark the scales’ balance beam, and Gamma and Sigma Librae represent the weighing pans. Libra is also home to HD 140283, popularly known as Methuselah, currently the oldest known star in the universe.
Constellation: It is fairly faint, with no first magnitude stars, and lies between Virgo to the west and Scorpius to the east. Beta Librae, also known as Zubeneschamali, is the brightest star in the constellation. Three star systems are known to have planets.
Libra was known in Babylonian astronomy as MUL Zibanu (the "scales" or "balance"), or alternatively as the Claws of the Scorpion. The scales were held sacred to the sun god Shamash, who was also the patron of truth and justice.
It was also seen as the Scorpion's Claws in ancient Greece.
Since these times, Libra has been associated with law, fairness and civility. In Arabic zubānā means "scorpion's claws", and likely similarly in other Semitic languages: this resemblance of words may be why the Scorpion's claws became the Scales,
It has also been suggested that the scales are an allusion to the fact that when the sun entered this part of the ecliptic at the autumnal equinox, the days and nights are equal.
Libra's status as the location of the equinox earned the equinox the name "First Point of Libra", though this location ceased to coincide with the constellation in 730 because of the precession of the equinoxes.
