Libra streamers

Three confirmed planets orbit Gliese 581 in Libra. The constellation also holds an orange giant, Gamma Librae, its third brightest star. Its other name is Zubenelakrab.

Libra's two brightest stars keep traces of an older picture. Zubenelgenubi means "the southern claw" and Zubeneschamali "the northern claw" in Arabic: the Greeks saw these stars as the Scorpion's claws. In Rome they became the scales of Astraea. Babylonian astronomy had already called the constellation MUL Zibanu, "the scales" or "balance". One suggested reason is the equal day and night when the Sun entered this part of the sky at the autumn equinox.

The scales are the only object among the zodiac's symbols. Libra covers September 23 to October 22 and is cardinal air, ruled by Venus.