Key Takeaways:
- The Summer Triangle asterism, composed of Altair, Deneb, and Vega, is currently visible rising in the east after sunset in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Vega (magnitude 0), Deneb (magnitude 1.3), and Altair (magnitude 0.8) constitute the Summer Triangle, with Vega being the brightest and highest in the sky during its rising.
- The Summer Triangle encompasses approximately 415 square degrees and includes portions of the Milky Way galaxy, notably the Cygnus Star Cloud and the Great Rift.
- The provided text includes sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times for a specific location (40° N 90° W), along with the Moon's phase and illumination percentage.
Now rising in the east after sunset is the famous Summer Triangle, so called because it sits high overhead on summer nights. As we head for the Northern Hemisphere summer solstice later this month, the three stars that make up this asterism will rise earlier and earlier each night.
Tonight around 11 P.M. local daylight time you’ll see the Summer Triangle some 30° high in the east. The lowest star, Altair, shines at magnitude 0.8 in Aquila the Eagle. To its upper left is magnitude 1.3 Deneb, which marks the tail of Cygnus the Swan. To the upper right of Deneb is Vega in Lyra the Lyre. At magnitude 0, it is the brightest star in the Summer Triangle and the highest as it is rising.
In all, the Summer Triangle covers some 415 square degrees and encompasses a portion of the plane of the Milky Way, our galaxy. The brightest region of the galaxy visible within the Summer Triangle is the Cygnus Star Cloud; also visible is the dark Great Rift, made up of light-blocking dust.
Sunrise: 5:32 A.M.
Sunset: 8:26 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:22 P.M.
Moonset: 2:18 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (74%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
