The constellation Lyra lies near the zenith in summer skies, with its prominent first magnitude star Vega marking one corner of the Summer Triangle. 9th magnitude M57 is visible through binoculars (a challenge!) or a small telescope as a faint smudge midway between stars Gamma and Beta.

The Ring Nebula is a little over 1000 light years from us and is a fine example of a planetary nebula, so-called because of it's disk-like appearance. It is actually the expanding shell of gas thrown off by a star nearing the end of its life.