Star lore
Altair
Direct answer
Altair is Alpha Aquilae, a nearby rapidly rotating star and the southern corner of the Summer Triangle.
Altair is Aquila's bright eagle star, flanked by Tarazed and Alshain.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Procyon, Achernar, Deneb, Pollux
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The story behind Altair
Altair’s Arabic-derived name refers to the flying eagle and preserves the constellation's long-lived imagery.
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The Road of the Sun
Where the twelve signs came from, and why they carry the names they do.
Why Altair matters
Altair’s three-star line is easy to recognize and gives observers a practical entrance to Aquila and the summer Milky Way.
How to read Altair
Find Altair opposite Vega and Deneb, then note the two stars bracketing it in a straight line.
Altair in practice: an example
Altair's fast spin broadens its equator, a shape measured by modern optical interferometry.
Where readings of Altair go wrong
Altair, Vega, and Deneb only appear close on the sky; they lie at very different distances.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- IAU Division C Working Group on Star Names - Official IAU working group responsible for standardizing star names used in international astronomy.
- CDS SIMBAD Astronomical Database - Professional astronomical database for stellar identifiers, positions, classifications, and bibliography.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Land the Summer Triangle at Altair
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More in Constellations & Star Lore
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Common questions
What is Altair?
Altair is Alpha Aquilae, a nearby rapidly rotating star and the southern corner of the Summer Triangle.
What do people get wrong about Altair?
Altair, Vega, and Deneb only appear close on the sky; they lie at very different distances.
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