On July 17th, 1850, the first photograph of a star other than our Sun was taken.
Credit: John Adams Whipple

July 14, 2025

Brilliant Vega is the brightest of three stars that make up the Summer Triangle. The blue-white star is part of the constellation Lyra, the Harp, a harp sometimes noted as the ancient Greek instrument played by the legendary Orpheus.

On the evening of July 16-17, 1850, Vega, only 25 light years from Earth, became the first star other than our sun to be photographed. At the Harvard College Observatory, William Bond and John Adams Whipple used a 15-inch refractor and a daguerreotype process to capture the image. It took about twenty minutes to watch the image surface on the sheet of silver-plated copper. This year is the 175^th anniversary of that history-making moment. In 1872, Vega entered the book of firsts again. Amateur astronomer Henry Draper was the first to photograph the spectrum of Vega and reveal its stellar elements.

Around 12,000 B.C.E., Vega was the Pole Star. Due to a wobble in Earth’s axis, our observation of the north gradually moves from one star to another throughout a 26,000-year cycle. Current North Star, Polaris, will be at its closest to the pole near the year 2100. It will then move on from the North Celestial pole position, and in about 12,000 years, approximately 13,700 C.E., Vega will once again lead the way north as the star above Earth’s north polar axis.

Are you as fascinated by the night sky as we are?

Join us for SkyWatch: Carnegie Science Center’s monthly opportunity to catch a glimpse of the stars with professional telescopes. Get a great view of the Pittsburgh skyline as you stargaze with other space enthusiasts. Plus, watch a feature show at the Buhl Planetarium and participate in fun, astronomy-themed activities.