Lyra is a small but interesting constellation, easily observable as it contains Vega, the fifth brightest star in the sky which together with Deneb of Cygnus and Altair of Aquila forms the so-called Summer Triangle. Between Beta and Gamma Lyrae lies M57, a planetary nebula called the Ring Nebula due to its characteristic ring shape.
The constellation represents the lyre built by Hermes with a tortoise shell and given to Apollo, who, in turn, gave it to Orpheus. He joined the expedition of the Argonauts, and was of great help when the ship Argo found itself passing near the island of the Sirens, the sound of Orpheus' lyre also seduced them, rendering them harmless.
Orpheus married the beautiful Eurydice. One day the girl was killed by a snake, Orpheus then went to the underworld to ask that his adored wife be returned to him: his song also moved Hades, who granted Eurydice to return to the world of the living, but on the sole condition that he, during the return journey, had never looked back. When Orpheus and Eurydice had almost reached the end of the journey, Orpheus was unable to resist and turned around, and Eurydice was dragged back.
Overwhelmed by grief, Orpheus rejected all the women who offered to marry him, and some of them, offended by his refusal, killed him. Orpheus' shadow then descended into the afterlife, where he remained forever together with his beloved Eurydice.
