• The Summer Triangle consists of three bright stars in three separate constellations. The stars are Vega in the constellation Lyra, Deneb in the constellation Cyg

nus, and Altair in the constellation Aquila. These stars should be clearly visible, despite the glare of tonight's waxing gibbous moon. As seen from mid-northern latitudes, the Summer Triangle will shine way high above the moon on these next few nights.
• The Summer Triangle is prominent on summer evenings, but now, as autumn begins, we still have several months to watch this large asterism (an asterism is just a noticeable pattern of stars). This huge star pattern looms from south to overhead in the autumn evening sky. After the moon drops out of the evening sky toward the end of the

first week of October 2012, look for the glowing band of stars that we call the Milky Way running right through the Summer Triangle.
• On a dark, moonless night, you can see an edgewise view of the galactic disk - and the Dark Rift - passing right through the Summer Triangle. Photo credit: cipdatajeffb
• Today's chart has you looking south to overhead on an autumn evening. If you crane your neck to look straight up, you'll see the three bright stars forming the Summer Triangle. How can you recognize them? Well, Altair is noticeable as a bright star with two fainter stars on either side of it. Deneb lies at the top of a cross-like figure - the pattern of the cross is actually another asterism, known as the Northern Cross. This cross lies inside the Summer Triangle. And Vega is recogniz

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