  The absolute and the relative quadrupole shape invariants q3 and K3 provide a
model independent measure of triaxiality for beta-rigid nuclei. We will show
that one can obtain q3 and K3 from a small number of observables. The
approximations which are made will be shown to hold within a few percent both
in the rigid triaxial rotor model and the interacting boson model. The shape
parameter K3 is given for an exemplary set of nuclei and is translated into
effective values of the geometrical deformation parameters beta and gamma.
