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Sky-Tonight.com / Constellations / Cassiopeia
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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
Your location: Columbus, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
39.9625
Longitude:
-83.0061

Cassiopeia Constellation

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Cassiopeia, representing a mythical queen, is a W-shaped constellation prominent in the northern sky and easy to recognize due to its unique shape.

Cassiopeia (The Queen)

Cassiopeia is a prominent constellation in the northern sky, easily recognizable by its distinctive "W" or "M" shape, formed by five bright stars. It represents the mythological queen Cassiopeia, known for her legendary beauty and vanity. The constellation is visible year-round in the Northern Hemisphere and is located near the North Star, Polaris.

Key Features

  • Bright Stars: The stars that form Cassiopeia's unique shape are:
    • Schedar: The brightest star in the constellation, a giant star located approximately 230 light-years away.
    • Caph: A yellow-white giant star located about 54 light-years away.
    • Ruchbah: A white giant star that is part of the "W" pattern.
  • Deep-Sky Objects: Cassiopeia is home to several notable astronomical objects:
    • Messier 52 (M52): A rich open star cluster located about 5,000 light-years away.
    • NGC 281 (Pacman Nebula): A bright emission nebula resembling the video game character Pac-Man.
    • Heart and Soul Nebulae: Large emission nebulae located near the border of Cassiopeia and Perseus.
    • NGC 7789: An open cluster also known as "Caroline’s Rose," located about 8,000 light-years away.

Mythological Background

In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was the queen of Ethiopia, wife of King Cepheus, and mother of Andromeda. She was known for her vanity, boasting that her beauty surpassed that of the sea nymphs, the Nereids. This angered Poseidon, the god of the sea, who sent a sea monster to devastate their kingdom. To appease Poseidon, Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice but was ultimately rescued by Perseus.

As punishment for her arrogance, Cassiopeia was placed in the sky, where she circles the celestial pole. At certain times of the year, she appears upside down, a reminder of her humiliation.

Cultural Significance

Cassiopeia has been a key constellation for navigation due to its proximity to the North Star, Polaris. Its distinctive "W" shape makes it one of the easiest constellations to identify in the night sky. It is often used as a reference point to locate other constellations and deep-sky objects.

The constellation’s mythological associations with beauty, vanity, and redemption have made it a popular subject in art and literature. Its rich field of stars and nebulae also makes it a favorite target for amateur astronomers.

Cassiopeia Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Cassiopeia is always above the horizon
Sunset21:029°
Civil sunset21:3610°
Astrosession begin22:1812°
Cassiopeia is always above the horizon
Moon Rise, 45.2% illuminated01:4529°
Astrosession end04:4851°
Civil sunrise05:3057°
Sunrise06:0461°
Cassiopeia Transit08:2471°
Moon Set14:3832°

Track Cassiopeia Position Throughout the Night

← Thu, 19 June 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe Cassiopeia changing position in the night sky.

Annual motion of Cassiopeia

Time
DateThu, 19 June 2025
Twighlight start23:02
Twighlight end03:54
Twighlight duration5h 52m
RiseCassiopeia is always up
SetCassiopeia is always up
Elevation at transit71°
Transit time08:24
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 00h 44m 49s", Dec: 59° 07' 01s
Magnitude-
Constellation
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a Cassiopeia, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Cassiopeia is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for defining and standardizing the official constellation boundaries, which provide a consistent framework for celestial mapping.

Special thanks to Sky & Telescope Magazine and contributors Roger Sinnott and Rick Fienberg for their collaboration in producing the charts and tables. The constellation patterns, drawn by Alan MacRobert, were influenced by the work of H. A. Rey and thoughtfully adjusted to align with earlier traditions.