Binocular vision? Go triangular with Mars!

Triangles abound in the night sky. You can take any three stars and connect them to make a variety of triangles. Amateur astronomers often navigate to a deep sky object by creating instant triangles, squares and other figures to help … Continue reading →

Mars, Saturn and the star Spica are the apexes of a right triangle (one containing a 90-degree angle) visible in the west in during the early evening hours this month. Photo: Bob King
Triangles abound in the night sky. You can take any three stars and connect them to make a variety of triangles. Amateur astronomers often navigate to a deep sky object by creating instant triangles, squares and other figures to help them negotiate a busy star field. There are even two official triangular constellations: Triangulum and Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle. Binocular vision may be characteristic of more advanced life forms, but I’m advocating for the next step: triangular vision.
To get there, let’s take a look at a fresh new triangle in the heavens this month comprised of Mars, Saturn and Spica. These three apexes all shine brightly at 1st magnitude and span the southwestern sky at nightfall. As you’d expect, any triangle ...