Cygnus

Cygnus, the Swan, is a prominent northern constellation lying along the plane of the Milky Way. Its brightest star, Deneb, is one of the most luminous stars known and forms part of the Summer Triangle with Vega and Altair. The constellation's cross-shaped pattern earns it the nickname 'Northern Cross.' Cygnus X-1, the first widely accepted black hole, lies within its boundaries.

The Hercules family includes constellations associated with the legendary strongman and his twelve labors. It is the second-largest constellation family after Ursa Major, encompassing much of the summer sky visible from northern latitudes. Hercules himself is the fifth-largest constellation by area, though none of his stars are brighter than third magnitude — a fitting irony for such a famous figure.

Mythology & History

Heracles (Hercules in Roman tradition) was the greatest of Greek heroes, a son of Zeus known for his extraordinary strength. His twelve labors — from slaying the Nemean Lion to capturing Cerberus — are reflected in several constellations. The constellation Hercules is depicted kneeling, and its central asterism, the Keystone, represents the hero's torso. Associated constellations include Hydra (the multi-headed serpent), Sagitta (the arrow), Lyra (Orpheus's lyre, a fellow Argonaut), and Aquila (Zeus's eagle). Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, was Ariadne's wedding crown placed in the sky by Dionysus.

Observation Tips

Hercules family constellations dominate the summer sky. The Keystone asterism in Hercules contains M13, the Great Hercules Cluster — one of the finest globular clusters in the northern sky, containing over 300,000 stars visible as a fuzzy patch to the naked eye. Lyra hosts Vega, the fifth-brightest star in the sky and a vertex of the Summer Triangle. The Ring Nebula (M57) between Beta and Gamma Lyrae is a favorite planetary nebula for amateur astronomers.

HIP 99908HIP 99909HIP 99887HIP 99929HIP 99934HIP 99936HIP 99943HIP 99944HIP 98770HIP 98773HIP 96919HIP 96922HIP 96924HIP 96925HIP 96926HIP 98783HIP 98786HIP 98787HIP 98793HIP 98796HIP 98797HIP 98802HIP 96941HIP 96946HIP 96949HIP 96958HIP 99954HIP 99955HIP 99960HIP 99963HIP 99965HIP 99967HIP 99968HIP 99976HIP 99953HIP 96966HIP 98814HIP 96977HIP 96982HIP 96986HIP 96989HIP 96992HIP 98821HIP 98827HIP 98831HIP 96995HIP 96997HIP 97002

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Cygnus constellation?
Cygnus (Cyg) is one of the 88 IAU-recognized constellations in the Northern hemisphere. Cygnus, the Swan, is a prominent northern constellation lying along the plane of the Milky Way. Its brightest star, Deneb, is one of the most luminous stars known and forms part of the Summer Triangle
How many stars are cataloged in Cygnus?
StarFYI currently catalogs 3,115 stars in the constellation Cygnus.
What is the brightest star in Cygnus?
The brightest star in Cygnus is Deneb.
How large is the Cygnus constellation?
Cygnus covers 803.98 square degrees of the sky.
What family does Cygnus belong to?
Cygnus belongs to the Hercules Family of constellations.