Editing Libra (constellation) (section)

==History and mythology==
[[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Libra.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Libra as depicted in ''[[Urania's Mirror]]'', a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825]]

Libra was known in [[Babylonian astronomy]] as ''MUL Zibanu'' (the "scales" or "balance"), or alternatively as the Claws of the Scorpion. The scales were held sacred to the sun god [[Shamash]], who was also the patron of truth and justice.<ref>''Babylonian Star-lore'' by Gavin White, Solaria Pubs, 2008, page 175</ref> Since these times, Libra has been associated with law, fairness and civility.

It was also seen as the Scorpion's Claws in [[ancient Greece]].{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=172-173}} This is the name used repeatedly by Aratus, which made it widespread in Hellenistic times: "few conspicuous stars the Claws can boast,
and their dim light mid brighter gems is lost"<ref>Aratus, ''The Phenomena and Diosemeia of Aratus by Aratus'', translated by John Lamb Phenomena,
 [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Phenomena_and_Diosemeia_of_Aratus/Phenomena 633]</ref> In Arabic ''zubānā'' means "scorpion's claws", and likely similarly in other Semitic languages: this resemblance of words may be why the Scorpion's claws became the Scales.{{Citation needed|date=November 2011}} Indeed, Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali, the names of the constellation's two main stars, in Arabic mean "southern claw" and "northern claw" respectively. It has also been suggested that the scales are an allusion to the fact that when the sun entered this part of the [[ecliptic]] at the [[September equinox|autumnal equinox]], the days and nights are equal.<ref name="eb" /> Libra's status as the location of the equinox earned the equinox the name "First Point of Libra", though this location ceased to coincide with the constellation in 730 BC because of the [[precession of the equinoxes]].

In ancient Egypt the three brightest stars of Libra (α, β, and σ Librae) formed a constellation that was viewed as a boat.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Priskin|first1=Gyula|title=The Astral Myth of Osiris: the Decans of Taurus and Libra|url=http://www.enim-egyptologie.fr/index.php?page=enim-9&n=7|website=ENiM 9 (2016), 79-111.|access-date=22 September 2016}}</ref> Libra is not mentioned by [[Eudoxus of Cnidus|Eudoxus]] or [[Aratus]] as a constellation.<ref name=eb/> Libra is mentioned by [[Manetho]] (3rd century B.C.) and [[Geminus]] (1st century B.C.), and included by [[Ptolemy]] in his 48 [[Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]s. Ptolemy catalogued 17 stars, [[Tycho Brahe]] 10, and [[Johannes Hevelius]] 20.<ref name=eb>{{EB1911|wstitle=Libra}}</ref> It only became a constellation in [[ancient Rome]], when it began to represent the scales held by [[Astraea (mythology)|Astraea]], the goddess of justice, associated with Virgo in the Greek mythology.{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=172-173}}