Need a Light? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Orion's Belt

Alnitak is the easternmost of the three stars that are found in Orion's Belt, which is itself part of the larger constellation of Orion.

Alnitak is designated Zeta Orionis, and is actually a three-star system. The primary star of the three (Alnitak Aa) is a hot blue supergiant and is the brightest O Class star in the sky (albeit only the 31st brightest star in the night sky, its apparent magnitude at +1.77). The system was originally observed to have a second star in 1819 by German astronomer George K. Kunowsky, with the third star not discovered until 1998 by a team at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona.

Answer: Orion's Belt

Alnilam is the center star of the three in Orion's Belt and is officially designated Epsilon Orionis.

Alnilam is a blue supergiant, estimated to be 28 times as massive as our own sun, and around 270 thousand times as luminous. Even so, it is only the fourth brightest star (as we see it) in the Orion constellation, and the 29th brightest in the whole night sky, with an apparent magnitude of +1.69.

Answer: Orion's Belt

Mintaka is the westernmost of the three star systems that make up Orion's Belt.

With the designation Delta Orionis, Mintaka is actually a quintuple star system. Even so, this final star of Orion's Belt is fainter in comparison to its colleagues, ranked at number 67 on the list of the brightest stars in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of +2.23.

Answer: Summer Triangle

The Summer Triangle is an asterism comprised of three stars that are each the brightest in their separate constellations. In the northern hemisphere's summer, the center of the triangle is nearly directly overhead.

Vega, designated Alpha Lyrae, is the brightest star of the constellation Lyra, and is actually quite close to our own Sun, just 25 light-years away. A blue-white main sequence star, Vega is 2.1 times the mass of our Sun, and is the fifth-brightest star in the sky, with an apparent magnitude of +0.03.

Answer: Summer Triangle

The next star in the Summer Triangle is Deneb, which is part of the constellation Cygnus with the designation Alpha Cygni. Unlike Vega, Deneb is very far from our Solar System, estimated to be between 1,400 and 2,600 light-years distant. Even so, this blue supergiant is the 19th brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of +1.25, and the furthest away star in our sky that has an apparent magnitude of brighter than +2.50.

Answer: Summer Triangle

Altair completes the trio of the Summer Triangle, the brightest star of the constellation Aquila, with the designation of Alpha Aquilae. Altair is even closer to us than Vega, just 16.7 light-years away from our Sun. It is an type-A main sequence star nearly twice the size of the Sun, and about 11 times brighter, and with an apparent magnitude of +0.76, it ranks as the 12th-brightest star in the night sky.

Answer: Winter Triangle

The Winter Triangle is an asterism that is seen high in the sky during northern winters, comprised of the three of the brightest stars in the Canis Major, Orion, and Canis Minor constellations.

Sirius, also called 'The Dog Star' as the primary star of Canis Major, is designated Alpha Canis Majoris. A binary star system, Sirius is THE brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of -1.46, and about twice as bright as the next brightest, Canopus.

Answer: Winter Triangle

The next star in the Winter Triangle is Betelgeuse, which is part of the constellation Orion, positioned at the 'right shoulder' of the figure of the great hunter.

Betelgeuse is designated Alpha Orionis, and is the tenth-brightest star in the night sky, with only Rigel being brighter within Orion. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant (it's radius is over 640 times that of our Sun) with an apparent magnitude that varies between +0.0 and +1.6.

Answer: Winter Triangle

Procyon, located in the constellation Canis Minor, completes the trio of stars that comprise the Winter Triangle. Designated Alpha Canis Minoris, Procyon is the eighth-brightest star in the night sky (a white main-sequence star), with an apparent magnitude of +0.34.

Procyon also happens to be one of our closer neighbours, being only 11.46 light-years away.

Answer: Spring Triangle

The Spring Triangle is comprised of three of the brightest stars in the Boötes, Virgo, and Leo constellations. It is primarily visible in the southeastern sky of the Northern Hemisphere in the evenings between March and May, although it can also be seen at other times of the year, if not as prominently.

Arcturus is a red giant found within the northern constellation of Boötes, designated Alpha Boötis. With an apparent magnitude of -0.05, it is the fourth-brightest star in our night sky, and just 36.7 light-years from our Sun.

Answer: Spring Triangle

The second star featured in the Spring Triangle for this quiz is Spica, which is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. Designated Alpha Virginis, Spica is a binary star system, with the primary of the pair being a blue giant. It is roughly 250 light-years from our Sun and has an apparent magnitude of +0.97, making it the sixteenth-brightest in the night sky.

Answer: Spring Triangle

Regulus completes the trio of stars that make up the Spring Triangle. Located within the constellation Leo and its brightest star, Regulus has the designation Alpha Leonis. What looks like one star is actually a quadruple star system, located about 79 light-years from our Sun. With an apparent magnitude of +1.39, Regulus ranks number 21 on the list of brightest stars in the night sky.