Libra [Lat.,=the scales], southern
constellation lying on the
ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Virgo and Scorpius; it is one of the constellations of the
zodiac. Sometimes depicted as a pair of scales, it is also known as the Balance. The ancient Greeks represented it as the claws of the Scorpion (Scorpius). Zubenelschemal (Beta Librae), which lies between
Arcturus and
Antares, is the only star observable by the naked eye that has been reported to appear greenish. Libra reaches its highest point in the evening sky in late June.
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