The three stars Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka form the belt of which constellation?

The three stars Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka form the belt of which constellation?

• A. Cygnus
• B. Orion
• C. Scorpius
• D. Taurus

Answer: (B)

Orion’s Belt is a recognizable straight line of three bright stars that define the middle of the constellation Orion. The three stars—Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka—line up across the sky, forming that distinctive belt shape that sits within Orion. So the belt belongs to Orion, not Cygnus, Scorpius, or Taurus. Cygnus shows a Northern Cross, Scorpius has a curved scorpion form, and Taurus is known for the Hyades cluster (and the Pleiades nearby); none feature the three belt stars in that straight arrangement. This straight-line trio is the telltale sign that the belt belongs to Orion.

Orion’s Belt is a recognizable straight line of three bright stars that define the middle of the constellation Orion. The three stars—Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka—line up across the sky, forming that distinctive belt shape that sits within Orion. So the belt belongs to Orion, not Cygnus, Scorpius, or Taurus. Cygnus shows a Northern Cross, Scorpius has a curved scorpion form, and Taurus is known for the Hyades cluster (and the Pleiades nearby); none feature the three belt stars in that straight arrangement. This straight-line trio is the telltale sign that the belt belongs to Orion.