Constellations for December 2023 –

Triangulum and Aries

Triangulum and Aries are two small and hard-to-make-out constellations; at least in a light-polluted area. They can be found roughly half-way between the Square of Pegasus and the Pleiades. Triangulum should be a nice asterism, but with two 3rd magnitude stars and a 4th magnitude one, it is hard to see in Havering. The only bright star in Aries is 2nd magnitude Hamal and the constellation is, at best, a vague curve in shape. 

The only spectacular object in this pair of constellations is the Triangulum Galaxy [1] (Messier 33) but, in contrast to its neighbour (both in space and in the sky) the Andromeda Galaxy, it is difficult to see visually despite its magnitude (5.7) and its size (about the same as two full moons next to each other). The reason for this is that it is both large (which spreads the light out) and face-on to us. It is better viewed in binoculars than with a telescope; if it can be seen at all.

However, this is a good part of the sky for double stars. Iota (or 6) Trianguli [2] is a fairly tight (3.9 arcseconds) yellow and grey-blue pair of stars which are magnitude 5.3 and 6.7. Between Triangulum and Perseus, there is 15 Trianguli [3], a nice wide orange and blue double, 142 arcseconds apart and magnitude 5.6 and 6.8; almost the same as Iota Trianguli. 

Mesarthim (or Gamma Arietis) is one of the best-known doubles. It is a yellow and blue pair which are almost equal in brightness (4.5 and 4.6) with a good separation (7.4 arcseconds). Just above Hamal is Lambda Arietis [4], which is also yellow and blue with a much larger separation of 37.3 arcseconds; the stars are magnitude 4.8 and 6.7. Finally, there is 30 Arietis [5], a yellow and bluish pair which has a similar separation to Lambda Arietis (37.9 arcseconds), but the two stars are closer in brightness (6.5 and 7).


Schematic representations of double stars are below. 

Share by: