Cygnus

Cygnus [Lat.,=the swan], northern constellation located SE of Draco and NW of Pegasus. It was depicted as a bird by most ancient cultures. It is sometimes called the Northern Cross because five of its brightest stars form a huge Latin cross. Its most famous star is Deneb , at the head of the cross, forming a large triangle with Vega in Lyra and Altair in Aquila. Cygnus reaches its highest point in the evening sky in September.

Cygnus One of the most distinctive constellations, often nicknamed the Northern Cross. Its brightest star, Deneb, is the most luminous to the naked eye, 50,000 times the Sun's light. It forms part of the Northern Cross.

Cygnus (abbr. Cyg, gen. Cygni) A prominent constellation of the northern sky, representing a swan. It is sometimes known as the Northern Cross because of the shape formed by its main stars, the brightest of which is Deneb (Alpha Cygni). Albireo (Beta Cygni) is a famous double star; another notable double is 61 Cygni. P Cygni is a 5th-magnitude variable blue supergiant. M39 is a 5th-magnitude open cluster, and NGC 6826 is a planetary nebula known as the Blinking Planetary. Cygnus lies in the Milky Way and is replete with fascinating objects: the radio source Cygnus A; the X-ray source Cygnus X-1; the brightest dwarf nova, SS Cygni; the Veil Nebula, part of the Cygnus Loop; the North America Nebula; and the Great Rift.