Dictionary term
Aquila
Direct answer
Aquila is an equatorial Milky Way constellation representing an eagle and centered on the bright star Altair.
Aquila is the eagle constellation whose brightest star, Altair, anchors the Summer Triangle.
Aquila is the eagle constellation whose brightest star, Altair, anchors the Summer Triangle.
A symbolic locator, not a substitute for an observational chart at a specific place and time.Quick reference
- Use when
- Start at Altair, recognize its two flanking stars, then trace the constellation north and south along the Milky Way.
- Do not use it for
- The Summer Triangle is an asterism crossing three constellations, not another name for Aquila.
- Reference category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related terms
- Apus, Aquarius Constellation, Ara, Aries Constellation
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The story behind Aquila
Aquila was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations and has long been pictured as a celestial eagle.
Aquila in spiritual tradition
Aquila turns one brilliant star into a doorway for reading the summer Milky Way.
Aquila: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual sky reference. It can support wonder and orientation without turning a measured position or inherited pattern into a claim of fate or private revelation.
Aquila in numerology
Aquila is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Aquila matters
Its position along the Milky Way makes it useful for seasonal orientation and rich-field binocular observing.
Aquila at work: an example
Altair, Deneb, and Vega form the Summer Triangle, placing Aquila at one corner of a much larger asterism.
Where interpretation stops
Aquila is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- International Astronomical Union: The Constellations - Official names, abbreviations, and boundaries for the 88 modern constellations.
- NASA Space Place: What Are Constellations? - NASA introduction to constellation regions, patterns, visibility, and seasonal sky changes.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Also appears in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Fly from Altair along the Milky Way
Aquila in a book is one thing; Aquila in your own birth chart is your life. The Oracle casts your real chart and tells you what it means for your love, your work, and your year ahead, in conversation, free.
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More in Constellations & Star Lore
Common questions
What is Aquila?
Aquila is an equatorial Milky Way constellation representing an eagle and centered on the bright star Altair.
How is Aquila used in an almanac?
Start at Altair, recognize its two flanking stars, then trace the constellation north and south along the Milky Way.
What should I avoid when interpreting Aquila?
The Summer Triangle is an asterism crossing three constellations, not another name for Aquila.
