The constellation Cygnus is a stargazer's treasure trove. It includes some of the richest star fields the Milky Way has to offer. With binoculars or just a small telescoped at a dark site, you can get lost in time exploring its countless stars.
Cygnus has been known as the Swan since antiquity. Deneb, the brightest star, forms the tail. Sadr marks the point where the two wings attach with Albireo forming the tip of the beak at the end of a long neck and head. Where is Cygnus flying? Toward the center of the Milky Way, the constellation Sagittarius.
As famous as Cygnus is, it is known by another name that may be even better known: the Northern Cross. Cygnus is the top with Albireo at the bottom. Sadr, again, marks the intersection of the parts that go to the sides.
Deneb is the brightest star of Cygnus with magnitude +1.33 but it is the dimmest of the three stars that make up the famous Summer Triangle. The brightest is Vega, at magnitude +0.02, and the second brightest is Altair, at magnitude +0.93.
Now, Vega and Altair are bright because they are so close at 25 and 17 light years away. Deneb, is estimated to be an incredible 3,000 light years... how can we even see it, let alone see it brightly? The only possible answer is the it is incredibly luminous, perhaps equal to the brightness of 200,000 stars like our sun!
Albireo, at the other end of the swan, is not as bright but is one of the most loved stars among stargazers... but why? Check out the link to Albireo below to find out.
Viewing Cygnus, the Swan
Level
Easy
Rating
Best Viewing
June through November
Find
The easiest way to find Cygna is to first find all three stars of the Summer Triangle: Vega, Altair and Deneb. Once you have found Deneb, use it to find the other stars that form the constellation. If you need help, use the link below to view Summer Constellations and then the Summer Triangle.
Try drawing Cygnus with bright stars, lines and labels.
The Milky Way flows through Cygnus. With binoculars, explore its thousands of stars. Take time and enjoy.
