Triangulum

No

  • Andromeda
  • Pisces
  • Aries
  • Perseus

The constellation triangle (Latin triangulum ) is a small constellation in the northern sky of fixed stars. In the evening, it's south of the constellation Andromeda from September to March.

Description

The triangle is an inconspicuous constellation, which consists of three stars. Only two reach the third size class.

The triangle lies between the Andromeda and the ram ( Aries ). His most famous celestial object is the Triangulum Galaxy ( M33 ), which counts as a companion of the Andromeda nebula to the U.S. next spiral galaxies.

In the southern hemisphere we find a counterpart of the triangle - the Southern Triangle ( Triangulum Australe ).

History

The triangle is one of the classic 48 constellations of the ancient world, described by Ptolemy. Among the Greeks it was called trigonon or Deltoton or Delta. The Greeks also saw the Nile Delta in this constellation, hence the name of the river derives gift. The triangle also stood for Sicily, which was also called " Trinacria " because of its shape. Sicily was dedicated to Demeter and Persephone was kidnapped from here to Hades.

From other faint stars in the area of the triangle of Gdańsk astronomer Johannes Hevelius created the constellation " Triangulum Minor" ( Small triangle ), which however does not prevailed.

Celestial objects

Stars

β Trianguli, the brightest star in the Triangle is a 124 light-years distant binary star. The main star has four times the diameter and 70 times the mass of our sun. The companion star has approximately the size of our sun. Both stars are at a distance of 0.3 AU and orbit each other in only 31.8 days. Due to the small angular distance, they can not be observed through the telescope.

α Trianguli, the second brightest star in the constellation, is a 64 light-years distant star. It also is a close binary star system that can not be observed through the telescope. The primary star has 1.5 times the mass and 13 times the luminosity of our Sun. The distance of the star is only 0.04 AE, they circle each other in 1.74 days.

The name is of Arabic origin and means Elmuthalleth " triangle". The Latin name " Caput Trianguli " means " tip of the triangle ."

γ Trianguli is 118 light years distant bluish- white star with dual solar diameter. The star rotates in just 12 hours on its axis.

Observable double stars

ιTrianguli (usually referred to in more recent star catalogs only as a 6 Tri ) is a double star system 305 light-years away. The two yellow and whitish shining stars can already be observed with a small telescope.

15 Trianguli is 150 light years distant binary star system. The main star is a deep red giant star of spectral type M4 rare. His companion is a whitish star of spectral type A5. The two stars are very far apart at a distance of 143 arc seconds and can already be separated with a small telescope.

Variable Stars

R Trianguli is a 1300 light years distant variable star Mira type, which greatly changes its brightness over a period of 266.9 days. While the maximum brightness, it can be seen with the naked eye at the minimum is needed an average telescope.

Messier and NGC objects

In the triangle is the Triangulum Galaxy ( M33 ), with a distance of 2.3 million light- years from the Andromeda Galaxy, the second nearest large galaxy. The Triangulum Galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way form the Local Group with a number of smaller companion galaxy. The Triangulum Galaxy discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier is because of its low surface brightness difficult to observe. One moonless night, away from artificial light sources, however, it is recognized as nebulous spots already in Prism binoculars. In larger telescopes spiral arms are visible.

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