The Cassiopeia constellation
Cas · Catalogue stars: 31
Why this name?
Cassiopeia is the queen and mother of Andromeda in Greek myth. According to legend, her boasting about beauty angered the sea deities and brought disaster upon her country.
A little history
Ptolemy described the constellation in the second century. Old charts show Cassiopeia seated on a throne; as the sky turns, her figure also appears upside down.
Data
- IAU code
- Cas
- Catalogue stars
- 31
- Messier objects
- 2
- Brightest star
- Cih · 2.1ᵐ
Messier objects
Stars
Stars (HIP)
- HIP 9598 · 4.0ᵐ · A2V
- HIP 2599 · 4.2ᵐ · B1Ia
- HIP 5542 · 4.3ᵐ · A7Vvar
- HIP 11569 · 4.5ᵐ · A5p Sr
- HIP 3504 · 4.5ᵐ · B5III
- HIP 9480 · 4.5ᵐ · A3IV
- HIP 117863 · 4.5ᵐ · F8Iavar
- HIP 7294 · 4.7ᵐ · K0III
- HIP 6692 · 4.7ᵐ · K0III
- HIP 2505 · 4.7ᵐ · B8Vn
- HIP 3300 · 4.8ᵐ · B2.5V
- HIP 4151 · 4.8ᵐ · F8V
- HIP 4292 · 4.8ᵐ · K2III
- HIP 114104 · 4.8ᵐ · B0.5IV
- HIP 14862 · 4.8ᵐ · A2Vnn
- HIP 117301 · 4.9ᵐ · K1III
- HIP 118243 · 4.9ᵐ · B1V...
- HIP 115990 · 4.9ᵐ · B3IV
- HIP 3801 · 4.9ᵐ · B9III
- HIP 3414 · 5.0ᵐ · A5V
Altitude above the horizon by latitude
| Latitude | Maximum altitude | Rise azimuth |
|---|---|---|
| +60° | 89° · never sets | — |
| +55° | 84° · never sets | — |
| +45° | 74° · never sets | — |
| +30° | 59° · never sets | — |
| 0° | 29° | 29° |
| −35° | never rises | — |
Geometric altitude at upper culmination, atmospheric refraction not included. Positive latitudes are in the northern hemisphere.
Culmination time by month
| Month | Culmination |
|---|---|
| January | 17:09 |
| February | 15:02 |
| March | 13:16 |
| April | 11:23 |
| May | 09:29 |
| June | 07:23 |
| July | 05:19 |
| August | 03:18 |
| September | 01:25 |
| October | 23:36 |
| November | 21:35 |
| December | 19:27 |
Upper culmination in local solar time — no time-zone or daylight-saving correction applied.
Neighbouring constellations
In brief
Which is the brightest star in Cassiopeia?
Cih — 2.1ᵐ.