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Stars in cassiopeia constellation4/8/2023 ![]() The screenshot below shows the magnitude 8.8 companion to Shedar in a 0.5° field of view (blue ring). The most interesting to try and find with a smaller telescope are the partner star for Shedar, two open clusters and two small galaxies. ![]() ![]() Objects to See Within CassiopeiaĪlthough it covers a massive area, there are relatively few objects of note for beginner astronomers within its boundaries. Now let’s look at what else can be seen within the constellation boundaries. That’s 3 objects we can find by starting with the bright W of Cas. We written a complete guide to finding and observing M52. If your sky lets you see to magnitude 5 with the naked eye, there are at least 20 further stars around the main ‘W’, shown in the second image from the top of this page.įollow the line from Shedar to Caph for the same distance to locate M52 There are 3 other stars at magnitude 4.0 (or brighter) which can be seen under moderately light polluted skies: 50 Cas, Achird and Zeta Cas. It shines around magnitude 2.7 and is one hundred light-years away.Įpsilon Cassiopeiae (Segin) – is a blue-white star of magnitude 3.3, 410 light years away. Although variable, it only alters brightness by 0.1 magnitude. It is 55 light years from Earth.ĭelta Cassiopeiae (Ruchbah) – which means ‘knee’, corresponding to its position in the picture of the goddess Cassiopeia. Gamma Cassiopeiae (Navi) – Is a variable star which, at its dimmest, shines at magnitude 3.0 but gets as bright as magnitude 1.6. This white star, who’s name means ‘hand’ is approximately 55 light years from Earth It is a multiple star but only its brightest companion, shining at magnitude 8.9, is visible with an average backyard telescope.īeta Cassiopeiae (Caph) – Slightly dimmer at magnitude 2.3. We’ve already named the five stars in the W asterism, but they are more properly known by their following designations:Īlpha Cassiopeiae (Shedar) – Shines with an orange light at magnitude 2.2 and is 230 light years from Earth. To find its exact position tonight, use software such and Stellarium (free) or Sky Safari to find it for your location. This means that its width is approximately the same as your closed hand when held out at your full arm’s length.Īlthough it is circumpolar for all US states (except Florida and Hawaii), the further south you are, the closer the to horizon it brushes. The distance from Segin to Caph is about 13°. The narrow-angle is formed between Navi, Shedar and Caph, whilst the wide angle is between Segin, Ruchbah and Navi. The W has one narrow angle and one wide angle. ![]() For the purpose of this article, we’ll keep referring to it as a ‘W’. Remember, it can look like an ‘M’, depending on when you see it. To find the consolation, the best thing to do is simply carry out a naked eye hunt for the five bright stars in the shape of the W. ![]() The five bright W stars of Cassiopeia, click for a larger version The consolation is bordered by the constellations Cepheus, Camelopardalis, Perseus, Andromeda and Lacerta.įive bright stars make up the classic W shape they are Segin, Ruchbah, Navi, Shedar, and Caph. You can see the unmistakable shape in the Sky Safari 6 screengrab, below. This means it can be seen above the horizon whenever it is dark, no matter the time of night or time of year. How to Find Cassiopeia In The Night SkyĬassiopeia is one of the circumpolar constellations visible from mid latitudes of North America and Europe. In the next section will discover how to find Cassiopeia. The reason the W stands out is, firstly, because it’s a recognisable shape and, secondly, it contains nearly all of the brightest stars of the constellation. In reality, as the picture below shows, the whole constellation covers a much larger area of sky than just the bright W. The gray boundary of Cassiopeia, with the ” asterism in the center. ![]()
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