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Although December is less than two weeks away, the Summer Triangle still lights up these autumn evenings. What's more, the Summer Triangle will continue to shine after dark throughout December and January. Look for it at early evening, high in your western sky.
• In the month of June - around the June 20 solstice - the Summer Triangle pops out in the east as darkness falls and shines all night long. But now - in late November - the Summer Triangle appears quite high in the west at nightfall. As evening deepens, the Summer Triangle descends westward, with all three of its stars staying above the horizon for several hours after dark.
• Depending on where you live, Altair - the Summer Triangle's lowest star - will set around 10 to 11 p.m. tonight. Notice where you see the Summer Triangle at a given time this evening. The Summer Triangle will return to this same place in the sky some 4 minutes earlier with each passing day, or 2 hours earlier with each passing month.
• As the Summer Triangle sinks low in the western sky around mid-evening, turn around to see Orion - the signpost constellation of winter - rising in the east.
• Bottom line: Look westward this evening for the three brilliant stars of the humongous Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb and Altair.
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