This causes the star to be somewhat unstable and periodically eject rings of material. Gamma Cassiopeiae is a shell star, a type of variable star that has a very high rate of rotation. The two other notably bright stars in Cassiopeia are both variable stars. Caph, designated Beta Cassiopeiae, is a white-hued star of magnitude 2.3, 54 light-years from Earth. The secondary is widely separated from the primary and is of magnitude 8.9. The primary is an orange-hued giant of magnitude 2.2, 229 light-years from Earth. Alpha Cassiopeiae, traditionally called 'Shedir', is a double star. The four brightest stars of Cassiopeia are all brighter than the third magnitude. Notable features Stars File:Cassiopeiaurania.jpgĬassiopeia in her chair, as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825. She is opposite the Big Dipper, and from northern latitudes can be seen at her clearest in early November. It is bordered by Andromeda to the south, Perseus to the southeast, and Cepheus to the north. It is easily recognizable due to its distinctive 'W' shape, formed by five bright stars.

Cassiopeia was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century Greek astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. 1st, 2004 from near N41° W73° by Randal J.Ĭassiopeia is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the vain queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unrivalled beauty. Visible at latitudes between + 90° and − 20°.īest visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of November.

The constellation cassiopeia