Summer Triangle: Altair and its constellation Aquila
Print Me Email to FriendTonight's Sky for Thursday, Jul 24 2008
In the east after dark, near the horizon Altair, the brightest star in Aquila, the Eagle, will be visible. This is the third in the discussion of the stars that make up the Summer Triangle.
Altair is not as bright as Vega and Deneb. The Great Rift of the Summer Milky Way splits the constellation. If you are in dark skies, you can see rich star fields with your binoculars in and around this constellation. Altair is probably best known for being the home star system of the aliens in the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet.
The whole Summer Triangle area is great to observe with binoculars or in dark skies with just your eyes. If you like finding hidden pictures, get set to find a Coathanger, the North American Nebula and Ring Nebula.
Our Summer Triangle series includes:
Part 1: Vega and its constellation Lyra
Part 2: Deneb and its constellation Cygnus
Part 3: Altair and its constellation Aquila
