Orion's Belt or the Belt of Orion is an asterism in the constellation Orion. It consists of the three bright stars Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.
Looking for Orion's Belt in the night sky is the easiest way to locate the constellation Orion in the sky. The stars are more or less evenly spaced in a straight line, and so can be visualized as the belt of the hunter's clothing. In the Northern hemisphere, they are best visible in the early night sky during the winter, in particular the month of January at around 9.00 pm.
Read more about Orion's Belt: References in History and Culture, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words orion and/or belt:
““You know Orion always comes up sideways.
Throwing a leg up over our fence of mountains,
And rising on his hands....””
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Crotchless trouser allows wearer to show private parts in public. Neoprene-coated nylon pack cloth is stain resistant, water repellent and tickles thighs when walking. Tan-olive shade goes with most fetishes. Adjustable straps attach to belt for good fit and easy up-down. Pant is suitable for fast exposures as well as extended engagements. One size fits all.”
—Alfred Gingold, U.S. humorist. Items From Our Catalogue, “Flasher’s Pants,” Avon Books (1982)