ε Cephei (epsilon Cephei)
ε Cephei is a variable and double hypergiant star in the constellation of Cepheus.
ε Cephei visual magnitude is 4.19. Because of its moderate brightness, ε Cephei should be easily visible from locations with dark skyes, while it can be barely visible, or not visible at all, from skyes affected by light pollution.
The table below summarizes the key facts about ε Cephei:
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ε Cephei
ε Cephei is situated north of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of ε Cephei are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of ε Cephei in the sky:
Visibility of ε Cephei from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
ε Cephei (epsilon Cephei) is circumpolar and transits at 14:18 UTC (altitude: 84.4°)
Digitized Sky Survey image of ε Cephei
The image below is a photograph of ε Cephei from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of ε Cephei is 0.447 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.048 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 1000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Distance of ε Cephei from the Sun and relative movement
ε Cephei is distant 83.89 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 1 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of ε Cephei
ε Cephei belongs to spectral class F0 and has a luminosity class of IV corresponding to a hypergiant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where ε Cephei is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
ε Cephei star system properties
ε Cephei is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of small or medium telescopes. The table below shows key information about the ε Cephei double sysyem: