Constellation Aquila the Eagle, is a northern constellation sitting above constellation Sagittarius, between constellation Ophiuchus and constellation Delphinus. Aquila spans 20 degrees of the Zodiac in the Signs of Capricorn and Aquarius, and contains 12 named fixed stars.

Fixed Stars in Aquila

2000	B	Star Name	Mag.	Orb
16 ♑ 02	12	Bered	4.02	1°00′
17 ♑ 19	λ	Al Thalimain Prior	3.43	1°20′
18 ♑ 15	ε	Deneb el Okab	4.02	1°00′
19 ♑ 47	ζ	Dheneb	2.99	1°40′
23 ♑ 25	ν		4.64	1°00′
23 ♑ 37	δ	Deneb Okab	3.36	1°20′
25 ♑ 49	ι	Al Thalimain	4.36	1°00′
26 ♑ 47	μ		4.45	1°00′
00 ♒ 26	η	Bezek	3.87	1°10′
00 ♒ 55	γ	Tarazed	2.72	1°50′
01 ♒ 45	α	Altair	0.76	2°40′
02 ♒ 24	β	Alshain	3.71	1°10′
02 ♒ 37	ξ	Libertus	4.72	1°00′
04 ♒ 54	θ	Tseen Foo	3.24	1°20′
11 ♒ 42	71		4.31	1°00′

Aquila Constellation Meaning in Astrology

Originally called Vultur Volans or the Flying Grype, Aquila represents the Eagle, thought to be Jupiter himself, that carried Ganymedes to heaven.

According to Ptolemy the influence of Aquila is similar to that of Mars and Jupiter. It is said to give great imagination, strong passions, indomitable will, a dominating character, influence over others, clairvoyance, a keen penetrating mind and ability for chemical research. It has always been associated with the sign Scorpio, and by the Kabalists with the Hebrew letter Vau and the 6th Tarot Trump “The Lovers.” [1]

In mundane astrology Aquila rules the U.S.A., space exploration, bombs and missiles.

Aquila, the Eagle, next to and westward from the Dolphin, is shown flying toward the east and across the Milky Way; its southern stars constituting the now discarded Antinous. Early representations added an arrow held in the Eagle’s talons; and Hevelius included a bow and arrow in his description. Our constellation is supposed to be represented by the bird figured on a Euphratean uranographic stone of about 1200 B.C., and known on the tablets as Idkhu Zamama, the Eagle, the Living Eye.

It always was known as Aquila by the Latins, and by their poets as Jovis Ales and Jovis Nutrix, the Bird, and the Nurse, of Jove; Jovis Armiger and Armiger Ales, the Armor-bearing Bird of Jove in this god’s conflict with the giants; while Ganymedes Raptrix and Servans Antinoum are from the old stories that the Eagle carried Ganymede to the heavens and stood in attendance on Jove. Ovid made it Merops, King of Cos, turned into the Eagle of the sky (he was inconsolable over the death of his wife, and Hera placed him among the stars); but others thought it some Aethiopian king like Cepheus, and with the same heavenly reward.

As the eagles often were confounded with the vultures in Greek and Roman ornithology, at least in nomenclature, Aquila also was Vultur volans, the stars beta and gamma, on either side of alpha, marking the outstretched wings; this title appearing even as late as Flamsteed’s day, and its translation, the Flying Grype, becoming the Old English name, especially with the astrologers, who ascribed to it mighty virtue.

Aetos, the Eagle, in a much varied orthography, was used for our constellation by all the Greeks; while poetically it was Dios Ornis, the Bird of Zeus; and Pindar had Oinon Basileus, the King of Birds, which, ornithologically, has come to our day. Later on it was Basanos and Basanismos, all kindred titles signifying Torture, referred by Hyde to the story of the eagle which preyed on the liver of Prometheus. Similarly we find Aquila Promethei and Tortor Promethei; but Ideler said that this idea came from a confounding by Scaliger of the Arabic Ikab, Torture, and Okab, Eagle. [2]

Then soars to the heights the bird of mighty Jupiter as though, winging its way with wonted effort, it were carrying thunderbolts; it is a bird worthy of Jupiter and the sky, which it furnishes with awful armaments.

The Eagle, soars to the heights, the bird of mighty Jupiter carrying thunderbolts, it is a bird worthy of Jupiter and the sky, which it furnishes with awful armaments. This bird brings back the thunderbolts which Jupiter has flung and fights in the service of heaven. He that is born on earth in the hour of its rising, will grow up bent on spoil and plunder, won even with bloodshed; he will draw no line between peace and war, between citizen and foe, and when he is short of men to kill he will engage in butchery of beast. He is a law unto himself, and rushes violently wherever his fancy takes him; in his eyes to show contempt for everything merits praise. Yet, should perchance his aggressiveness be enlisted in a righteous cause, depravity will turn into virtue, and he will succeed in bringing wars to a conclusion and enriching his country with glorious triumphs. And, since the Eagle does not wield, but supplies weapons, seeing that it brings back and restores to Jupiter the fires and bolts he has hurled, in time of war such a man will be the aide of a king or of some mighty general, and his strength will render them important service. [3]

The constellation contains 74 stars. The brightest of them, α (in the Eagle’s neck), is a notable star of the 1st magnitude, called Al Tair (Arabic), the wounding. The star β (in the throat) is called Al Shain (Arabic), the bright, from a Hebrew root meaning scarlet colored, as in Joshua 2:18. The star γ (in the back) is called Tarared, wounded, or torn. δ (in the lower wing) is named Alcair, which means the piercing, and ε (in the tail), Al Okal, has the significant meaning wounded in the heel. [4]

References

1. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.29.
2. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889, p.55-56.
3. Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, p.31, 341
4. The Witness of the Stars, E. W. Bullinger, 17. Aquila (the Eagle).