Summer officially arrives tomorrow at 6:51 in the morning. Summer solstice is described as the longest day. For us, sunshine covers the Island from 5:07 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. Add the hours of dusk and dawn and the length of day is considerably longer. In this past week, we’ve had to wait until well after 9 p.m. to find some darkness, along with the summer stars and planets.

Star Triangle

Three summer stars are now within easy sight. They are Deneb, Altair and Vega. You don’t need a star chart to find them. They are brilliant, high in the eastern sky at 10 p.m. and a true sign of summer.

Many call these three stars “the Summer Triangle.” Vega is the brightest, shining high in the east with a blueish tint to it.

Look to the northeast of Vega for the next brightest star and you’ll discover Deneb.

Altair is in the southeast. Together, these three form a large triangle.

These three bright stars are the principal stars in three constellations. Vega is the principal star in the constellation Lyra. While looking at Vega you’ll notice a close assembly of stars, which to astronomers of old portrayed a small harp.

Deneb is the main star in the constellation Cygnus, the swan. Cygnus is also called the Northern Cross and was named after Christianity arrived on the scene. Deneb is the top of the cross but it takes a little bit of work, and the help of a star chart, to see this large cross in the sky.    

Altair is the principal star in the bird constellation Aquila.

Welcome to summer.