Aquila constellation. Aquila, the eagle, is a summer constellation in the northern hemisphere. Its brightest star is Altair (Alpha Aquilae, centre). This star is flanked by the stars Tarazed (Gamma Aquilae, above) and Alshain (Beta Aquilae, below). The wingtips of the eagle are represented by the bright stars at lower left and upper right, with its tail at lower right. The Milky Way passes through the constellation from top to bottom right. At centre right is the Great Rift, a huge region of dust that blocks the light from the Milky Way stars behind it.