The Summer Triangle

The Summer Triangle is visible for most of the year, but in July and August it shines directly overhead at around midnight.

The bright three points of the Summer Triangle are among the first stars you can see after sunset: Deneb, Vega, and Altair. 

 The Summer Triangle is called an asterism, as it’s not an official constellation, but still a striking group of stars. However, the Triangle is the key to spotting multiple constellations! 

Its three stars are themselves the brightest in their respective constellations: Deneb, in Cygnus the Swan; Vega, in Lyra the Harp; and Altair, in Aquila the Eagle. 

That alone would be impressive, but the Summer Triangle also contains two small constellations inside its lines, Vulpecula the Fox and Sagitta the Arrow.

 

There is even another small constellation just outside its borders: diminutive Delphinus the Dolphin. The Summer Triangle is huge!

We will see one by one.

Altair designated α Aquilae is the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila and the twelfth brightest star in the night sky. It is currently in the G-cloud—a nearby interstellar cloud, an accumulation of gas and dust.

 The traditional name Altair has been used since medieval times. It is an abbreviation of the Arabic phrase Al-ta'ir, "the flying (eagle)".

Aquila is the Latin word for eagle. 

Almost in all mythologies all over the  world  it's called as an eagle. 

In another story, the eagle is found guarding the arrow of Eros (represented by the constellation Sagitta), which hit Zeus and made him love-struck.

In India, Altair with its two flanking stars, Beta and Gamma (Tarazed and Alshain),  traditionally represent the celestial footprints of the god Vishnu.

Altair is separated from the similar looking (but brighter) star Vega in the constellation Lyra by the great starlit band of the Milky Way. In Asia, this hazy band across our sky is known as the Celestial River. One story common in China, Japan and Korea is of a young herdsman (Altair) who falls in love with a celestial princess (Vega), who weaves the fabric of heaven.

The princess became so enamored of the herdsman that she neglects her weaving duties. This act enrages the princess’s father, the Celestial Emperor, who decrees that the herdsman must stay away from his daughter, on the opposite side of the River. The Emperor finally listened to the princess’s pleas, however, and allowed the herdsman to cross the Celestial River once per year, on the seventh day of the seventh month.

Interesting?

We will talk about Vega next time.

Till then good bye!!

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Enjoy skygazing!!!!