Manilius, who wrote in the age of Augustus, thus alludes to Vega:
A vigorous light and darts surprising rays.
Among Latin writers Vega was called "Lyra" in classical days.
Burning with soft blue lustre.
Willis.
The Romans made much of this star, for the beginning of their autumn was indicated by its morning setting. Brown writes of it:
"At one time Vega was the Pole Star, and known to the Akkadai as 'the Life of Heaven,' and to the Assyrians as 'the Judge of Heaven.'"
The Chinese and Japanese call Vega "the Spinning Maiden," or "the Girl with a Shuttle." She was supposed to stand at one end of the magpie bridge, over the Milky Way, awaiting her lover. This legend was related in connection with the history of the constellation Aquila.
Lockyer claims that some of the temples at Denderah in Egypt were oriented to Vega as early as 7000 b.c.
Owing to the phenomena of Precession, Vega will be the Pole Star 11,500 years hence.
It is almost in a direct line towards this blazing blue sun that the solar system is flying through space at the rate of twelve or fifteen miles a second. This goal of our sun and its family of planets is known as "the Apex of the Sun's Way." The accompanying diagram indicates its location according to different authorities. See p. 263.
Vega is the second brightest star to be seen in this latitude, Sirius alone surpassing it in splendour. In spite of its great brilliance, Vega is not one of our near neighbours. According to Peck it is eighteen light years distant, some authorities say twenty-nine. If the distance from the earth to the sun is regarded as one foot, that from Vega would be
