When is the best time to observe Atria?

Atria is best observed from April through June, with peak visibility during May when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Atria located in the sky?

Atria lies in the constellation Triangulum Australe at right ascension 16h 49m and declination -69° 02′.

What telescope do I need to see Atria?

At magnitude 1.9, Atria is visible to the naked eye under most conditions.

Atria — Star in Triangulum Australe

HIP 82273; Alpha Trianguli Australis

Magnitude 1.9^m Star Triangulum Australe (TrA) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Atria

Description

Atria (Alpha Trianguli Australis) is an orange giant of spectral type K2IIb-IIIa at magnitude 1.92, the brightest star in Triangulum Australe. Located about 415 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 5,500 times solar and a warm orange color. It is the brightest star in the far southern sky that lacks a traditional proper name beyond its modern contraction.

Observing Tips

Atria is the brightest vertex of Triangulum Australe, a small but distinct equilateral triangle near Alpha and Beta Centauri. Its orange color contrasts with the blue-white neighbors. Only visible from the southern hemisphere. Best observed April through August when the constellation is well-placed.

History

The name Atria is a modern contraction of 'Alpha Trianguli Australis.' Triangulum Australe was created by Petrus Plancius from observations by Dutch navigators and first appeared on a celestial globe in 1589. It is one of the most easily recognized small southern constellations.

Fun Facts

Atria is notable for being one of the brightest stars in the sky that has essentially no traditional cultural mythology associated with it — it lies too far south to have been seen from the Mediterranean civilizations that named most bright stars.