Lyra constellation: how to find it, when to see it and what is in it
In short
A small constellation with one of the brightest stars in the sky, Vega. In summer it is nearly overhead and is the first star to appear at dusk — blue-white, magnitude 0. Next to Vega is a small parallelogram of faint stars, and right beside Vega the 'double double', Epsilon Lyrae. From mid-northern latitudes Lyra hardly sets; it is best on evenings from June to September.
Area: 287 square degrees, 52 of 88 · Neighbours: Cygnus, Draco, Hercules, Vulpecula · Updated 10 October 2026
How to find Lyra
- 1
Find Vega
On summer evenings the brightest star high overhead is Vega — also the brightest corner of the Summer Triangle.
- 2
Draw the parallelogram
Just south of Vega, four stars of magnitude 3–4 form a small parallelogram — the body of the lyre.
- 3
Test your eyes on Epsilon Lyrae
The faint star next to Vega looks double to sharp eyes, and a telescope splits each of the two again.
When it is visible over London
| Month | Where and when | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| January — march | in the east, around 06:26 | before dawn |
| April — may | in the southeast, around 04:31 | before dawn |
| June | in the south, around 02:06 | before dawn |
| July — september | in the south, around 00:15 | in the evening |
| October | in the southwest, around 19:19 | in the evening |
| November — december | in the west, around 17:28 | in the evening |
Stars of the constellation
| Star | What it is | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| Vega · α Lyr | white main-sequence star | 0.0ᵐ |
| Sulafat · γ Lyr | blue-white giant | 3.2ᵐ |
| Sheliak · β Lyr | blue-white bright giant | 3.5ᵐ |
| Jiantai · δ² Lyr | red bright giant | 4.3ᵐ |
| Kautoki · ζ¹ Lyr | white star | 4.4ᵐ |
Lyra FAQ
When is the best time to see Lyra?
Where is Lyra in the sky?
What is the brightest star in Lyra?
Neighbouring and other constellations
Related
Constellation lines: Stellarium, CC BY-SA · star names: IAU WGSN, CC BY 4.0