Asterisms Winter Hexagon & Winter Triangle

The Winter Hexagon is an asterism appearing to be in the form of a hexagon with vertices at Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Procyon, and Sirius. It is mostly upon the Northern Hemisphere's celestial sphere. On most locations on Earth (except the South Island of New Zealand and the south of Chile and Argentina and further south), this asterism is prominently in the sky from approximately December to March. Stars of the Winter Hexagon Star Rigel Aldebaran Capella Pollux Procyon Sirius Designation β Ori α Tau α Aur β Gem α CMi α CMa Constellation Orion Taurus Auriga Gemini Canis Minor Canis Major Where visible in the southern Hemisphere, it is called the Summer Hexagon. Two of the stars, Procyon and Sirius, are also part of another asterism, the Winter Triangle. Source: Wikipedia

Stars of the Winter Hexagon; source: Wikipedia Winter Hexagon in the night sky; source: NASA: Astronomy Picture of the day

This section describes the asterisms as they are seen in the night sky. For myth and star lore about the Winter Hexagon and the Winter Triangle, click here.

The Winter Triangle is an astronomical asterism formed from three of the brightest stars in the winter sky, Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon. Source: Wikipedia The stars of the Winter Triangle Star Sirius Betelgeuse Procyon Designation α CMa α Ori α CMi Constellation Canis Major Orion Canis Minor

Stars of the Winter Triangle; source: Utah Public Radio

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