Question #40 – What is the Summer Triangle?

Answer:

The summer triangle is an asterism – an easily-identified pattern of stars that is not a constellation. It is prominent in the summer sky for people in the northern hemisphere. The three stars that make up the triangle are Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the Harp; Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus the Swan; and Altair, the brightest star in Aquila the Eagle.

For more information, read "Come to Know the Summer Triangle" at EarthSky.org.

The summer triangle is near the zenith (the point directly overhead) around 10:00 pm in early August. Images created with Starry Night Pro Plus 8