It is magnitude 2.3 and located 42 light years from Earth. Star in Cassiopeia is called Caph, meaning hand in Arabic and Hebrew. It is magnitude 2.2 and 120 light years from Earth. Schedar, meaning breast in Arabic, is the alpha star in the constellation. It does contain several 2nd and 3rd magnitude stars, and its shape is rather distinctive. Look approximately two hand widths or so away at the area of sky opposite the Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia should be visible as an M, W, E, or 3 shape depending on the season of the year and/or the time of night you are star gazing.Ĭassiopeia contains no first magnitude stars. As a reminder, Polaris is always as many degrees above the northern horizon as you are north of the equator. The Little Dipper is the most noticeable feature of the constellation Ursa Minor. The easiest way to identify this constellation is to find the North Star (Polaris), which is at the end of the Little Dipper’s tail. In the southern hemisphere, the constellation is visible from May to August at locations north of the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude). For amateur stargazers, September through March are the optimal months for spotting Cassiopeia. As a punishment for her arrogance, Cassiopeia was placed in the sky on a throne which faces downward for half of its celestial course.Ĭassiopeia is visible on any clear night of the year from most locations in the northern hemisphere. Out of desperation to save her country, Cassiopeia allowed her daughter Andromeda to be chained to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster, but at the last moment, Andromeda was rescued by the hero Perseus. When she boasted that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the sea nymphs, Poseidon sent a sea monster (identified with the constellation Cetus) to ravage the coast. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was the queen of Ethiopia. Cassiopeia borders the constellations Cepheus (the King), Camelopardalis (the Giraffe), Perseus (the Hero), and Andromeda (the Princess).
This constellation is circumpolar for all sky watchers who live above 40 degrees north latitude, meaning it never rises or sets. I find her by using the Big Dipper’s handle and Polaris.Picture from Astro Bob using Stellarium.The constellation, Cassiopeia, the Queen, is found in the northern sky relatively close to the north celestial pole. The north star is about half way between the Big Dipper’s handle and Cassiopeia. From there, draw a line through the north star. Now, go to the point where the handle of the Big Dipper meets the cup. (The Big Dipper will serve as an “anchor point” to find this constellation– at least at first.) Then locate the north star, Polaris. To find Cassiopeia, first, find the Big Dipper. (Ptolemy described this constellation almost 2000 years ago.) Some people describe this constellation as Cassiopeia’s chair. If I squint really hard I can get a crown out of it– she is a queen, after all, but mostly I wonder what those Greeks were thinking. To me, it looks like a letter “W” that’s a little warped. Good luck finding her because in the night sky she doesn’t look at all like this! (Picture Credit) She was the queen of Ethiopia in Greek myth.
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