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> Constellations of Andromeda and Triangulum
Constellations of Andromeda and Triangulum
author: J.Lodriguss/Novapix
reference: a-cst02-00016
Image Size 300 DPI: 32 * 21 cm
The constellations of Andromeda, the Princess, and Triangulum, the Triangle, point the way to several deep-sky delights in the fall sky.
Andromeda begins at the bright star Alpheratz, or Alpha Andromedae, one of the corners of the great square of Pegasus. Alpheratz is the brightest star in the image, near the right side of the frame and is located about 97 light years away from us on Earth. The constellation includes the bright stars Mirach (Beta Andromedae) and Almach (Gamma Andromedae). Mirach is a red giant star located about 200 light years away. Almach can be seen as a beautiful blue and gold double star in telescopes and is located about 355 light years away. Mirach, and Mu Andromedae above it, point the way to the Andromeda Galaxy, M31. The great galaxy in Andromeda can be seen with the unaided eye from a dark location as a faint smudge of light. It is one of the farthest objects that can be seen with the unaided eye at a distance of about 2.5 million light years. Drawing a line from M31 to Mirach, and extending this line about the same distance past Mirach, we find the Pinwheel Galaxy, M33, at bottom center. The large open cluster NGC 752 is at lower left.
The distinctive triangular shape of the constellation of Triangulum can be seen at the lower left of the image.
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