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Summer Triangle Asterism

asterism Jun 12, 2021
summer triangle asterism

 

The Summer Triangle Asterism is a very easy star pattern to see in the northern hemisphere during the summer months. Asterisms are not true constellations, but other patterns within constellations or groups of stars that form a distinctive shape. Look for the 3 brightest points in the summer sky and connect the dots to make a triangle shape. This pattern can be seen in dark skies and even light-polluted ones.

 

 

Out of the 3 vertices, Vega is the brightest in magnitude. Vega is a part of the constellation Lyra, and its magnitude is +0.03.  Next in line would be Altair (magnitude +0.77), and then Deneb (+1.25). Even with the small variations in magnitude between these three stars, they are bright enough to be identified in dark, starry skies as well as light polluted ones.