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Lyra

(Encyclopedia)Lyra līˈrə [key] [Lat.,=the lyre], northern constellation lying S of Draco, E of Hercules, and W of Cygnus. Although many civilizations represented it as a bird, it was also depicted as a tortoise....

Vega

(Encyclopedia)Vega vāˈgə [key], brightest star in the constellation Lyra; Bayer designation Alpha Lyrae; 1992 position R.A. 18h36.7m, Dec. +38°47′. A white main-sequence star of spectral class A0 V, its appar...

Ring nebula

(Encyclopedia)Ring nebula, planetary nebula in the northern constellation Lyra; cataloged as M57 or NGC 6720. It is perhaps the most famous and beautiful nebula of this type. Its name describes the appearance of th...

Cygnus

(Encyclopedia)Cygnus sĭgˈnəs [key] [Lat.,=the swan], northern constellation located SE of Draco and NW of Pegasus. It was depicted as a bird by most ancient cultures. It is sometimes called the Northern Cross be...

Draco, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Draco [Lat.,=the dragon], northern constellation lying SE of Ursa Minor and N of Lyra and Hercules. It is traditionally depicted as a dragon. Draco contains the bright star Eltanin (Gamma Draconis). T...

Hercules, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Hercules hûrˈkyəlēzˌ [key], in astronomy, northern constellation located between Lyra and Corona Borealis. It is traditionally depicted as the hero Hercules in a kneeling position. There are no v...

Sharp, William

(Encyclopedia)Sharp, William, pseud. Fiona Macleod fēˈnə məkloudˈ, fēōˈnə [key], 1855–1905, Scottish poet and man of letters. Under his own name he wrote literary biographies; poems, including the volume...

lyre

(Encyclopedia)lyre, generic term for stringed musical instruments having a sound box from which project curved arms joined by a crossbar. The strings are stretched between the crossbar and the sound box and are plu...

Keble, John

(Encyclopedia)Keble, John kēˈbəl [key], 1792–1866, English clergyman and poet. His career (1807–11) at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, was one of unusual distinction. Made fellow of Oriel College in 1811 and...

Polaris

(Encyclopedia)Polaris pōlârˈĭs [key] or North Star, star nearest the north celestial pole (see equatorial coordinate system). It is in the constellation Ursa Minor (see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor; Bayer designat...

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