Triangulum
Origin
Triangulum, often referred to as the Triangle, is one of the 48 constellations listed by the second-century astronomer Ptolemy in his treatise the Almagest. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Greek mythology, where it is associated with the Greek hero Perseus and the quest to slay the Gorgon Medusa. Triangulum is sometimes linked to the island of Samos, the birthplace of the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, because of its triangular shape. While it lacks the elaborate mythological stories of many other constellations, Triangulum's simple geometry and association with significant figures in Greek history have made it a recognizable and enduring feature of the night sky.
Bright Stars
Triangulum is relatively small and doesn't contain any particularly bright stars.
Photo of the constellation Triangulum produced by NOIRLab in collaboration with Eckhard Slawik, a German astrophotographer.
The annotations are from a standardized set of 88 western IAU constellations and stick figures from Sky & Telescope. Please find here a non-annotated version of the image.
Credit: E. Slawik/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani
Latin name
English name
Triangulum
Pronunciation
tri-ANG-yuh-lum
Abbreviation
Tri
Notable Objects
Messier 33 (the Triangulum Galaxy): Messier 33 is a relatively nearby spiral galaxy and a member of the Local Group, the same group of galaxies that includes the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31). While it is not as large or bright as the Andromeda Galaxy, Messier 33 is still an impressive target for small telescopes. Its relatively low surface brightness can make it more challenging to observe from light-polluted areas, but it's a rewarding object to explore under dark skies. M33’s spiral arms and bright central core can be seen with a small telescope, making it a highlight of the Triangulum constellation.
