Cepheus (The King) Constellation
Cepheus (pronounced ˈsiːfiəs, -fjuːs) is the Latin name of a large constellation (in fact it extends itself for about 46 degrees across the sky) situated close to the northern celestial pole. As such, it is visible for most part of the year from the northern hemisphere.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The King" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "Cep" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "Ceph" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Cephei" (pronounced ˈsiːfiaɪ) and it is used to identify some of the brightest stars in this constellation based on the Bayer or Flamsteed star naming convention. For instance: α Cephei (the brightest star of Cepheus based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Cephei (the 23th star in the constellation of Cepheus based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Cepheus Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Cepheus constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Cepheus in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Cepheus Constellation
Location: Greenwich, UK
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Cepheus is circumpolar and transits at 23:16 UTC (altitude: 72.1°)
The rise and set times provided here are just directional indications and they refer to a point approximately placed at the center of the constellation. In case of very large constellations (like Cepheus actually is) these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Cepheus Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Cepheus constellation. See also the complete list of 153 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Cepheus. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR8162 | α Cephei | Alderamin | 2.44 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR8974 | γ Cephei | Errai | 3.21 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR8238 | β Cephei | Alfirk | 3.23 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR8465 | ζ Cephei | 3.35 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR7957 | η Cephei | 3.43 | ⬤ | Double; | |
|
HR8694 | ι Cephei | 3.52 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR8571 | δ Cephei | 3.75 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR8316 | μ Cephei | 4.08 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR8494 | ε Cephei | 4.19 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; | |
|
HR7850 | θ Cephei | 4.22 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR285 | 4.25 | ⬤ | |||
|
HR8334 | ν Cephei | 4.29 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR8417 | ξ Cephei | Kurhah | 4.29 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
|
HR7750 | κ Cephei | 4.39 | ⬤ | Multiple; | |
|
HR8819 | π Cephei | 4.41 | ⬤ | Multiple; | |
|
HR7955 | 4.51 | ⬤ | Double; | ||
|
HR8317 | 11 Cephei | 4.56 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR8748 | 4.71 | ⬤ | |||
|
HR8279 | 9 Cephei | 4.73 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR8702 | 4.74 | ⬤ | Double; | ||
| ...go to the complete list of 153 bright stars in the constellation of Cepheus | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Cepheus Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Cepheus constellation. See also the complete list of 45 deep sky objects in the constellation of Cepheus. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
