Sagitta - The Arrow

Sagitta is a small constellation lying between Cygnus, the Swan, and Aquila, the Eagle. It is positioned in a rich part of the Milky Way. Sagitta is the third-smallest constellation, and it is best seen from July through November.

History and Mythology

Sagitta is said to be the arrow shot by Hercules that killed the eagle of Zeus. Some mythology says that it is the arrow which Apollo used to kill the Cyclops. It is also sometimes said to represent Cupid's arrow.

Notable Objects

Sham, Alpha Sagittae, comes from the Arabic word meaning "arrow". It is a yellow giant of magnitude 4.4 at a distance of 475 light-years away. Beta Sagittae is a 4th-magnitude orange giant at a distance of 300 light-years. The brightest star in Sagitta is Gamma Sagittae at magnitude 3.5. It is about 275 light-years away.

There are few deep sky objects in Sagitta. M 71 is a loose globular cluster of 8th magnitude. In a modest telescope, it appears as a small, diffuse patch, but it can be resolved into stars in a larger instruments. IC 4997 is an 11th magnitude planetary nebula in the southeastern corner of Sagitta. There are no bright galaxies in Sagitta.