page_title: Aquila (constellation)
section_title: Mythology
hierarchical_section_title: Aquila (constellation) / Mythology
caption_attribution_description: "Delphinus, Sagitta, Aquila, and Antinous", plate 13 in Urania's Mirror, a set of celestial cards accompanied by A familiar treatise on astronomy ... by Jehoshaphat Aspin. London. Astronomical chart, 1 print on layered paper board&#160;: etching, hand-colored.
context_page_description: Aquila is a constellation. The name means 'eagle' in Latin. The constellation is normally represented as an eagle.
  Aquila is just a few degrees North of the celestial equator. The constellation is best seen in the summer as it is along the Milky Way. Because of this location along the line of our galaxy, many clusters and nebulae are within its borders. However, they are dim and there are not many galaxies.
context_section_description: In mythology, Aquila was owned by the Roman god Jupiter and did many tasks for him.
  In a book by Gavin White, the Babylonian Eagle carried the constellation called the Dead Man (LU.USH) in its talons. The author also draws a comparison to the Classical stories of Antinous and Ganymede.
  In classical Greek mythology, Aquila was identified as Αετός Δίας (Aetos Dios). He was the eagle that carried the thunderbolts of Zeus. He was sent by Zeus to carry the shepherd boy Ganymede to Mount Olympus. The constellation of Aquarius is sometimes identified with Ganymede.
  In the Chinese love story of Qi Xi, Niu Lang (Altair) and his two children (β and γ Aquilae) are separated forever from their wife and mother Zhi Nu (Vega) who is on the far side of the river, the Milky Way.
  In Hinduism, the constellation Aquila is identified with the half-eagle half-human deity Garuda.
caption: Aquila, with the now-obsolete figure of Antinous, as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825. At left is Delphinus.
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