The Summer Sky The Eagle of Zeus

Once you have found Vega, look down to the south-southeast and you will see Altair in the constellation Aquila (the Eagle).

Altair spins at an amazing 750,000 kilometers (470,000 miles) per hour. This rotation has stretched Altair into an egg shape, wider than it is tall.

Altair is one of our nearest neighbors, 16 light-years away.