Triangulum, the Triangle, is a small ancient constellation between Andromeda and Aries, and the direction of the Triangulum Galaxy, a spiral of the Local Group.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 3 |
|---|---|
| nearest star of the figure | Mothallah, 63.3 light-years (19.4 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Beta Trianguli, 127 light-years (38.9 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 2 × farther than the nearest |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Triangulum
Triangulum is one of the constellations listed by Ptolemy, three stars forming a long, narrow triangle, which the Greeks likened to their capital letter delta. Its brightest star is Beta Trianguli, a white star; Mothallah, at the tip, marks the head of the triangle. It lies between Andromeda and Aries.
Its treasure lies far beyond its stars. The Triangulum Galaxy, M33, is a spiral galaxy in the Local Group, the third-largest member after the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way. Under a very dark sky it can be glimpsed with the naked eye as a faint smudge, among the most distant things a person can see without optical aid.
Triangulum is a northern constellation, best seen on autumn evenings in the northern hemisphere. From the southern hemisphere it lies low in the north in spring.
What you see in the piece
Fly out with CONSTELLATIONS (N) on, away from the HUMAN EYE view (E): the triangle tilts in depth, its farthest star lying well beyond its nearest, all three tiny next to the distance of the galaxy behind them.
Questions
What galaxy is in Triangulum?
The Triangulum Galaxy, M33, a spiral galaxy and the third-largest member of the Local Group. Under a very dark sky it is just visible to the naked eye.
How far away are the stars of Triangulum?
The nearest star of the figure is Mothallah, 63.3 light-years (19.4 pc); the farthest is Beta Trianguli, 127 light-years (38.9 pc). The farthest is 2 × farther than the nearest.